IS THERE A PLACE FOR PATELLOFEMORAL ARTHROPLASTY

Indications for patellofemoral arthroplasty were studied based on a 2- to 10-year followup review. Of 183 patellofemoral prostheses implante d between 1980 and 1990, 104 were associated with unicompartmental art hroplasty, and 79 were implanted alone, Thirteen patients were lost to followup, The results of 66 patellofemoral arthroplasties are reporte d at an average followup of 66 months, The mean age of the patients at surgery was 57 years, Underlying causes of the osteoarthritis include d patellar dislocation or dysplasia (22), patellar fracture (20), and primary osteoarthritis (24), A metallic femoral groove was associated with a polyethylene patella with no metal backing, Two (9%) prostheses were revised in the dysplasia group, 1 (5%) in the posttraumatic grou p, and 7 (29%) in the primary osteoarthritis group, In this latter gro up, the indications of patellofemoral arthroplasty must be restricted to lesions of the patellofemoral joint in a knee in neutral axis evalu ated preoperatively on full standing and stress radiographs, The best results of patellofemoral arthroplasty were obtained in osteoarthritis after patellar dislocation or patellar fracture.