Painful locking of the knee due to bucket handle tear of mediopatellar plica

A case of swelling and anterior painful knee due to tear of mediopatellar plica is reported. The patient also felt clunk of the patellofemoral joint and knee locking. Under arthroscopic examination, a thick and fibrous plica was found medial to patellar, and a bucket tear along the plica from medial patellar retinaculum to infrapatellar fat pad. Polarized microscopic examination showed collagen fiber fragment and loss of light reflecting property. Neuro-immunohistology suggested up-regulation of synovial plica innervation in the area around the crack. This may be related to the pain. The bucket tear of mediopatellar plicacaused pain and lock of knee are more common than previously reported.