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Medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction for recurrent patellar dislocation allows a good rate to return to sport

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Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose

Recurrent patellar dislocation is a frequent knee disorders in young, active patients. Medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction (MPFLR) can restore knee stability and function, but the rate of return to sports is less clear. The aim of this study was to evaluate rate of return to sport following treatment of recurrent patellar dislocation with isolated MPFLR.

Methods

Between 2011 and 2018, 113 patients with recurrent patellar dislocation were treated with isolated MPFLR at an academic center. Pre-injury sports participation and Tegner score, pre-operative subjective IKDC score, time to return to sports, and post-operative Tegner and subjective IKDC scores were collected, with a minimum of follow-up of 2 years.

Results

One hundred and three patients (91%) were evaluated at a mean of 4.5 ± 2.5-year post-operative. 92 patients (89%) participated in sports prior to onset of patellar instability. At final follow-up, 84 of these 92 patients (91%) were able to return to sports. The mean time from surgery to return to sports was 10.4 ± 8.6 months (range: 2–48 months). 62 patients (67%) returned to the same (50 patients) or higher (12 patients) level. 22 patients (26%) returned at a lower level. 19 of these patients attributed this decreased participation to ongoing knee problems. The median Tegner score was noted to decrease from 5 pre-injury to 4 post-operatively (p = 0.02).

Conclusion

Isolated MPFL reconstruction allowed return to pre-injury sports in 91% of patients, with 67% of patients returning to the same or higher level than pre-injury. Mean time to return to sports was 10 months and post-operative Tegner score was noted to be modestly decreased from pre-injury level.

Level of evidence

IV.

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Funding

No specific grants were received from public, private for-profit and non-profit organizations for this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, Croix Rousse Hospital, Civil Hospices of Lyon, FIFA Medical Center of Excellence, 103 bvd de la croix-rousse, 69004, Lyon, France

    Pierre Meynard, Matthieu Malatray, Elliot Sappey-Marinier, Victor Bodiou, Sébastien Lustig & Elvire Servien

  2. Department of Orthopaedics, OSU Sports Medicine Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA

    Robert A. Magnussen

  3. LBMC UMR T 9406, Laboratory of Chock Mechanics and Biomechanics, Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University, 69100, Villeurbanne, France

    Sébastien Lustig

  4. LIBM-EA 7424, Interuniversity Laboratory of Biology of Mobility, Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University, 69100, Villeurbanne, France

    Elvire Servien

Authors
  1. Pierre Meynard
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  2. Matthieu Malatray
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  3. Elliot Sappey-Marinier
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  4. Robert A. Magnussen
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  6. Sébastien Lustig
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  7. Elvire Servien
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Contributions

PM, MM, ESM, RAM, VB, SL and ES gave a substantial support to collect data, perform statistical analysis and redaction.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pierre Meynard.

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Conflict of interest

PM, MM, ESM, RAM, VB, SL and ES declared that they have no conflict of interest with this study.

Ethical approval

The ethical committee CPP Sud-Est III did IRB approval, and the study registered as number 2011-030 B.

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Meynard, P., Malatray, M., Sappey-Marinier, E. et al. Medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction for recurrent patellar dislocation allows a good rate to return to sport. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 30, 1865–1870 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-021-06815-1

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