Patellar

• Recurrent patellar dislocation

  • Sex: ♀ > ♂

  • The first episode of patellar dislocation typically happens before the age of 20

  • 50% of patients will have recurrent patellar dislocations after the first episode

• Isolated traumatic patellar dislocations and congenital patellar dislocations are quite rare.

• Recurrent patellar dislocation: usually results from twisting of a slightly flexed knee joint. The following biomechanical defects predispose an individual to recurrent patellar dislocation:

  • Patellofemoral dysplasia (trochlear dysplasia and patellar dysplasia)

  • A large Q angle ; causes include:

    • Genu valgum ("knock-knee”) deformity

    • Injury to the medial patellofemoral ligament

    • Weakness of vastus medialis

  • Patella alta (high-riding patella)

  • Hyperlaxity of joints: connective tissue conditions (Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Marfan syndrome), slack ligaments (♀ > ♂)

• Traumatic patellar dislocation: usually results from direct sideward impact on the patella (e.g., during contact sports, a car accident)

• Congenital dislocation of the patella: usually associated with other congenital diseases

  • Down's syndrome

• General features

  • Severe pain

  • Knee joint effusion

  • Restricted range of motion in the knee (usually a fixed flexion deformity)

  • The patella is almost always dislocated laterally.

• Recurrent patellar dislocation

  • The patella often relocates spontaneously

  • Permanent feeling of instability

  • Positive apprehension test

• Traumatic patellar dislocation: may be associated with ligament injuries and/or fractures

• Congenital patellar dislocations: present at birth and cannot be corrected by physical manipulation alone

• X-ray: to detect the underlying cause (see “Etiology” above) and additional injuries (see “Complications” below)

• MRI and arthroscopy: to examine the ligaments and cartilaginous structures

• Knee joint aspiration: indicated in the case of severe joint effusion

  • Injury to ligamentous structures of the knee (e.g., the medial patellar retinaculum) → hemarthrosis

  • A fracture which extends intraarticularly (e.g., an avulsion fracture of the femoral condyle) → lipohemarthrosis

Lipohemarthrosis in the presence of normal knee x-rays indicates an osteochondral lesion!

• Conservative therapy: indicated if no osteochondral fragment is present

  1. Patellar reduction by gently extending the knee while applying a caudally and medially directed force on the lateral edge of the patella

  2. Reduction should be followed by immobilization of the knee in extension for three weeks.

  3. Physiotherapy to strengthen the quadriceps femoris muscle: to prevent recurrent disclocation

• Surgical therapy: generally indicated for complicated cases with associated fractures

  • Arthroscopy

  • Recurrent patellar dislocation

    • Different surgical procedures may be used to stabilize the patella: medial patellofemoral ligament repair, release of the lateral retinaculum, medial transfer of the tibial tubercle

    • In the case of severe genu valgum causing patellar dislocation: supracondylar closed wedge osteotomy

  • Congenital patellar dislocation can only be treated by surgical reconstruction.