A teenage girl had a suspected fracture of the tibial intercondylar eminence, but the hospital emphasized treating her femoral trochlear dysplasia. Her parents were unsure which direction to take.
Treatment has not yet started.
First, the tibial intercondylar eminence fracture represents real harm to the patient. Since a CT was performed at Hospital C, the parents should have directly asked the doctor to confirm in writing whether the eminence was fractured. Second, a shallow femoral trochlea does not necessarily constitute an indication for corrective surgery. If the doctor believes surgery is needed, they should clearly document the recommendation for corrective surgery in writing. If the doctor is willing to write it by hand, ask for legible handwriting. If the doctor is unwilling to write clearly, the girl's family can choose to leave that doctor. Third, a shallow femoral trochlea mainly carries a risk of easy falls. The parents noted that the 14-year-old girl has never seemed particularly prone to falling or leg injuries. This means corrective surgery for the femoral trochlea is not an urgent matter.
There is a potential trap here. If the intercondylar eminence is not actually fractured, the doctors might worry they will lose the chance to perform surgery on the girl. So they may blur the facts about whether the eminence is fractured in order to draw the family into the path of femoral trochlear corrective surgery. Bilateral femoral trochlear corrective surgery represents a significant financial opportunity for the orthopedic department.
The parents contacted this website once while seeking medical care. This is what enabled them to avoid the femoral trochlear corrective surgery. Otherwise, when doctors speak with authority and confidence, it is generally very difficult for ordinary patients and families to refuse.