The length of the patellar tendon after unicompartmental and total knee replacement

Citation
Ae. Weale et al., The length of the patellar tendon after unicompartmental and total knee replacement, J BONE-BR V, 81B(5), 1999, pp. 790-795
Citations number
32
Categorie Soggetti
Ortopedics, Rehabilitation & Sport Medicine","da verificare
Journal title
JOURNAL OF BONE AND JOINT SURGERY-BRITISH VOLUME
ISSN journal
0301620X → ACNP
Volume
81B
Issue
5
Year of publication
1999
Pages
790 - 795
Database
ISI
SICI code
0301-620X(199909)81B:5<790:TLOTPT>2.0.ZU;2-0
Abstract
Patella infera may occur after reconstruction of the I anterior cruciate li gament (ACL), high tibial osteotomy and total knee replacement (TKR), Restr iction of movement of the knee and pain may result. Our aim was to compare the incidence and to assess the effects of patella infera after TKR and uni compartmental knee replacement (UKR), We reviewed radiographs of the knees of 84 patients who had had either TKR or UKR as part of a randomised, controlled trial. The length of the patella r tendon was measured on serial radiographs taken before, at eight months a nd at five years after operation, There was no significant change in the length of the patellar tendon after UKR, but a significant reduction was observed after TKR, Five years after t he operation, the shortening of the tendon had increased to a mean of 3.5 m m, Of the knees with TKR reviewed at five years, 34% developed patella infe ra, defined as 10% or more of shortening, compared with 5% of those with UK R, Shortening was greatest in those knees which had required a lateral rele ase; in this subgroup the mean shortening was 7.2 mm, Shortening correlated with restriction of movement and pain in the knee. Our study has shown that patella infera develops in most patients after TKR with lateral release, and in approximately 25% of patients after TKR witho ut this additional procedure, Patella infera rarely occurs after UKR, It is associated with restriction of movement and pain in the knee, It may be an effect of the more extensive exposure required to perform TKR and may, in part, explain the better clinical results of UKR.