Definition

Kneecap removal, or patellectomy, is the partial or total surgical removal of the patella, commonly called the kneecap.

Purpose

Kneecap removal is performed under three circumstances:

• The kneecap is fractured or shattered.
• The kneecap dislocates easily and repeatedly.
• Degenerative arthritis of the kneecap causes extreme pain.

Demographics

A person of any age can break a kneecap in an accident. When the bone is shattered beyond repair, the kneecap has to be removed. No prosthesis or artificial replacement part is put in its place.

Dislocation of the kneecap is most common in young girls between the ages of 10–14. Initially, the kneecap will pop back into...