USE OF PATELLAR ALLOGRAFT TO RECONSTRUCT A PATELLAR TENDON-DEFICIENT KNEE AFTER TOTAL JOINT ARTHROPLASTY

A catastrophic complication after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is rup ture of the patellar tendon. Several techniques for treatment have bee n described, including cast immobilization with or without operative r epair, the use of a semitendinosus, fascia lata, or hamstring tendon a utogenous graft, the use of a Dacron 4-mm vascular graft (U.S. Cathete r and Instrument, Glen Falls, NY), the use of bovine xenograft and eve n transplantation of an entire allograft extensor mechanism. Treatment results of patellar tendon rupture after TKA can be discouraging. Alt ered tissue quality secondary to connective tissue diseases, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus, secondary hyperparathyroid ism, or concurrent steroid medications contributes to poor results. Ad ditionally, no one treatment has provided consistent clinical success. Successful treatment of a patient with a ruptured patellar tendon aft er TKA using the bone-patellar tendon-bone allograft commonly used for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is reported.