Arthroscopic Patellofemoral Arthroplasty for Isolated Patellofemoral Osteoarthritis

Abstract

PFOA quite often precedes tibial femoral arthritis and occurs in isolated status [1]. In most cases, conservative treatment is effective through the sports styles and lifestyles. However, in calcitrant cases not responding to conservative treatment, the operation is of choice. There are many types of PFOA, which include the primary type, patella instability type, traumatic type, and chondrocalcification type. In our clinical practice, except for the patella instability type PFOA that needs medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction, we chose a similar procedure, which we named arthroscopic patellofemoral arthroplasty (APFA), for all types. Standardized APFA includes patella and femoral trochlea plasty, with the removal of the extra lateral facet of the patella as the main part, lateral retinaculum release, and denervation of the femoral trochlea and the patella. Our clinical experiences indicate that this technique is effective in getting satisfactory long-term results.