Ligament Reconstruction versus Distal Realignment for Patellar Dislocation

• Published in: Clinical orthopaedics and related research Vol. 466; no. 6; pp. 1475 - 1484
• Main Authors: Sillanpää, Petri, Mattila, Ville M., Visuri, Tuomo, Mäenpää, Heikki, Pihlajamäki, Harri
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer-Verlag 01.06.2008; Springer; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Ovid Technologies
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Cohort Studies; Conservative Orthopedics; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Humans; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Original; Original Article; Orthopedics; Osteoarthritis, Knee - diagnostic imaging; Osteoarthritis, Knee - etiology; Patellar Dislocation - diagnostic imaging; Patellar Dislocation - surgery; Patellar Ligament - surgery; Radiography; Range of Motion, Articular; Recovery of Function; Recurrence; Retrospective Studies; Sports Medicine; Surgery; Surgical Orthopedics; Tenodesis - adverse effects; Tenodesis - methods; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome; Patellar Dislocation; Articular Cartilage Lesion; MPFL Reconstruction; Patellofemoral Joint; Chondral Lesion; Ligament; Luxation; Treatment; Patella; Surgery; Orthopedics; Anatomical reconstruction; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0009-921X; 1528-1132
• DOI: 10.1007/s11999-008-0207-6

Recently, medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction has been emphasized for the treatment of patellar dislocation. This study compared the results of medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction by adductor magnus tenodesis with distal patellar realignment in patients with recurrent patellar dislocation. Additionally, the development of patellofemoral osteoarthrosis was compared for these two procedures at a median 10-year followup. Between 1994 and 2000, 47 consecutive patients were treated for recurrent patellar dislocation by adductor magnus tenodesis (18 knees) or Roux-Goldthwait procedure (29 knees). Redislocations, subjective symptoms, and functional outcomes were evaluated. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed at followup. The incidence of patellar redislocation after surgery was 7% in the adductor magnus group and 14% in the Roux-Goldthwait group. Median Kujala scores were 88 for the adductor magnus group and 86 for the Roux-Goldthwait group. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed patellofemoral articular cartilage lesions in 22 knees (73.3%) at followup, including 14 (46.6%) with full-thickness cartilage loss. Radiographs revealed patellofemoral osteoarthritis in five patients in the Roux-Goldthwait group and in none of the patients in the adductor magnus group. Adductor magnus tenodesis is a reliable method to treat recurrent patellar dislocation. The medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction seems to reduce the risk of osteoarthrosis compared with distal realignment surgery. Level of Evidence: Level III, therapeutic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.