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Early patellar dislocation can lead to tibial tubercle lateralization in rabbits

  • Knee
  • Published:
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the effects of early patellar dislocation on the tibial tubercle location.

Methods

Sixty knees from 30 healthy 1-month-old New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into two groups of 30 knees each. Group A (control group) comprised the left knees, which underwent no surgical procedures. Group B comprised the right knees, which underwent patellar dislocation surgery. Computed tomography (flexion 0°) was performed preoperatively and 6 months post-operatively. Measurements included the tibial tuberosity–trochlear groove distance (TT–TG) and tibial tubercle lateralization.

Results

No significant difference in the TT–TG or tibial tubercle lateralization was found between the two groups preoperatively. Six months post-operatively, however, the mean TT–TG in Group A (no patellar dislocation) and Group B (patellar dislocation) was 1.0 ± 0.4 and 3.0 ± 0.7 mm, respectively (p < 0.05). The mean tibial tubercle lateralization also showed a significant difference between Groups A and B at 6 months post-operatively (0.5 ± 0.1 and 0.6 ± 0.0, respectively; p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Early patellar dislocation can lead to tibial tubercle lateralization and an increased TT–TG. Clinically, early intervention for adolescent patients with patellar dislocation will be important.

Level of evidence

Prospective comparative study, Level II.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050051, Hebei, China

    Yingzhen Niu, Pengkai Cao, Chang Liu, Jinghui Niu & Fei Wang

  2. Hospital for Special Surgery, 535 E. 70th Street, New York, NY, 10021, USA

    Xu Yang

Authors
  1. Yingzhen Niu
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  2. Pengkai Cao
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  3. Chang Liu
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  4. Jinghui Niu
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  5. Xu Yang
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  6. Fei Wang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fei Wang.

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Conflict of interest

All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Funding

This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Number: 81371910).

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving animals were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institution or practice at which the studies were conducted.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Niu, Y., Cao, P., Liu, C. et al. Early patellar dislocation can lead to tibial tubercle lateralization in rabbits. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 26, 2602–2606 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-017-4541-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-017-4541-7

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