As I strive to find answers for patients who have had patellar instability for years and have been told that there is nothing that can be done aside from a knee replacement I continue to do research. My recent study evaluated the efficacy of combined patellofemoral arthroplasty (PFA) and medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction in patients with patellofemoral arthritis in the setting of concomitant patellar instability.
Patients often develop arthritis from years of dislocating their patella and this can typically be treated well with a partial knee replacement (patellofemoral replacement) but this does not address the patellar instability and therefore in these cases I recommend adding a MPFL reconstruction. This study shows good results in this patient population.
Read more in The Journal of Knee Surgery: Short-Term Outcomes of Concomitant Patellofemoral Arthroplasty and Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction to Treat Concurrent Patellofemoral Arthritis and Patellar Instability