Nine patients, who had ten painful bipartite patellae, were managed with a new operative tech nique in which the vastus lateralis insertion to the painful patellar fragment is detached subpe riosteally while the continuity of the tendon-periosteum complex to the main portion of the patella is preserved. A grossly mobile patellar fragment was removed in 3, fragment that showed minimum mobility was left in situ in 5 and fragment that had significant articular component was fixed with 4.0 mm cancellous screw in one. All of the patients had prompt relief of pain and returned to full sports activity within three months of the operation, 2 of 5 patellas that had not been removed united by bone to the main portion of the patella within 2 years post-operatively. Overall, 10 knees had excellent results at an average of four years post-operatively.