Having seen a case of dislocation of the patella, reported by
Mr. Mayo, in your Journal a few weeks since, in which there was
experienced some difficulty in the reduction of the bone, I beg
leave to send you the following, in case you may think it worth
insertion.
On Saturday last, I was called to a young woman who had dislocated
the patella of the left knee joint outwards; the inner edge
rested upon the outer surface of the external condyle, and was
immoveably fixed, and caused great pain when touched. She says it
was occasioned by her foot slipping backwards from one stair to
another, and she immediately fell down.
I commenced the reduction, as stated by Mr. Mayo, but I could only
produce semiflexion, and that gave her great pain; insomuch that I
was obliged to desist, and the patella remained in _statu quo_. But
when the knee was thus semiflexed, I desired my assistant to extend
the leg suddenly; and having my fingers on the patella at the time,
and pressing it inwards, it immediately returned to its natural
position.
I must confess, sir, that I should have been afraid to have
continued the flexion as described in Mr. Mayo's case, "by bending
the knee to the utmost," fearing that the remedy might be worse
than the disease, and the result proved that in this case it was
not necessary.
I remain, Sir,
Your obedient servant,