Changes in Patellar Morphology Following Soft Tissue Surgical Correction of Recurrent Patellar Dislocation in Children With Low-grade Trochlear Dysplasia
Abstract Purpose: Studies indicated that patellofemoral joint dysplasia could be caused by patellar dislocation. The purpose of the study was to investigate the changes in patellar morphology following soft tissue surgical correction of recurrent patellar dislocation in children with low-grade trochlear dysplasia.Methods: The prospective study was performed between November 2007 and December 2012. Finally, 25 cases, with the mean age of 8.4 years (range from 7 to 10 years), were admitted to our study. All patients were diagnosed as bilateral recurrent patellar dislocation associated with femoral trochlear dysplasia. The knee that had suffered an injury or dislocated most frequently was treated with medial patellar retinacular plasty (Group S). The contralateral knee, which served as a control was treated conservatively (Group C). Axial CT scans were undertaken in all patients to assess the patellar morphological characteristics on a particular axial image which was established at the point with the greatest patellar width based on measurements preoperatively and at the final follow-up.Results: Preoperatively, there were no statistically significant differences between the patellar morphology in the two groups (P>0.05). Many radiological parameters of patellar morphology were significantly different between the two groups at the final follow-up, including well-known parameters, such as the mean patellar width (Group S, 40.58 mm (SD 1.26); Group C, 36.41 mm (SD 1.17); p < 0.001), the mean patellar thickness (Group S, 11.59 mm (SD 0.74); Group C, 9.38 mm (SD 0.56); p < 0.001) and the mean wiberg index (Group S, 0.54 (SD 0.06); Group C, 0.72 (SD 0.08); p < 0.001). Little known parameters such as the ratio of length of lateral patella to medial patella (Group S, 1.26 (SD 0.17); Group C, 1.69 (SD 0.21); p < 0.001), which is a measurement of facet asymmetry. However, the wiberg angle was not significantly different between the two groups (Group S, 128.63° (SD 9.05); Group C, 125.47° (SD 13.96); p > 0.05) at the final follow-up.Conclusions: The patellar morphology can be significantly improved by early (before epiphyseal closure) soft tissue surgical correction in children with patellar instability associated with low-grade femoral trochlear dysplasia (Dejour A and B).