For a long time lateral release (LR) was performed as a standard procedure both, for patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) and patellofemoral instability (PFI). However, recent biomechanical studies have shown that LR is not useful for decreasing the lateral force onto the patella, but is increasing not only medial but also lateral PFI. Furthermore, pain on palpation over the lateral patellofemoral joint space can result in patients treated with extensive LR. We postulate that in case of persistent PFI or PFPS after failed LR the reconstruction of the lateral retinaculum as an addition of the reconstruction of the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) is necessary in terms of decreasing medial PFI as well as lateral pain. In between 03/07 and 04/09 we have seen a total of 25 patients (20 f, 5 m) with persistent PFI and palpatory pain over the lateral retinaculum due to unsuccessful treatment of PFI with a LR. These patients have undergone revision surgery with an anatomical reconstruction of the released lateral retinaculum in combination with a reconstruction of the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) in an aperture-technique using the gracilis tendon. The average age at time of operation was 26.2 ± 9.8 years. Preoperatively, as well as 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months postoperatively, clinical examinations were performed and subjective as well as objective scores (Kujala-, Tegner-, IKDC-score) were evaluated. Regarding radiological parameters measurement of patellar tilt and shift was carried out on axial radiographs before and after the operation.Objectives
Materials and Methods
Overviewing the literature, pain and redislocation after surgical treatment of patellofemoral instability (PFI) is described with up to 30 %, especially with techniques involving the extensor mechanism, the lateral retinaculum or the medial vastus. However, outcome data about revision surgery is missing. Therefore, it was the purpose of this prospective study to evaluate the clinical outcome after revision surgery with an isolated or a combined reco. of the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) with a follow up of 12 months. The indication for additional procedures such as distal femoral osteotomies (DFO), trochleoplasty, reclosing of the lateral retinaculum (RLR) or lateralisation of the tuberosity (LT) were performed depending on the clinical and radiological pathomorphologies. In between 3/07–4/09, 42 pat. with a mean age of 24 years (13–46ys) were revised due to persistent PFI after mean 1.8 failed previous operations (lateral release, medial gather/VMO-distal., medial. of the tuberosity) in our department. An isolated reco. of the MPFL was performed in 15 cases, while a combination with a DFO due to massive femoral axis deformity (n=5), trochleoplasty due to a convex trochlear morphology (n=1) and/or LT (n=4) and/or RLR due to medial instability or lateral pain (n=22) was done in 27 cases. The clinical result was evaluated by the pre- and postop. IKDC/Kujala/Tegner-score and by a subjective questionnaire. Radiologically, the patellashift/-tilt/-height and level of the eventual degeneration were defined preop. and at the point of follow up with the help of straight lateral radiographs and by MRI. Significance level was set at p=.05, statistical calculation was done by the use of the t-test.Objective
Methods
