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Retinacular band excision improves outcome in treatment of plica syndrome

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Abstract

Mild symptoms usually continue after excision of the medial patellar plica. We noticed that the palpable tender cord, located on the anteromedial aspect of the knee in patients with plica syndrome, did not disappear completely after excision of the synovial fold. Beneath all plicae, a retinacular band was visible, and only after excisions of this band did the cord become impalpable. We conducted a study to determine the role of these medial retinacular bands in the symptomatology of the disorder. Twenty-four knees of 22 patients diagnosed with medial patellar plica syndrome were divided into two groups. In the first group, arthroscopic excision of the synovial plica was performed. In the second group, retinacular bands beneath the plica were additionally excised. When Lysholm scores were compared, we found that the second group showed significantly greater improvement. We believe that the retinacular bands play a role in the symptomatology and the pathophysiology of plica syndrome and that excision improves the outcome.

Résumé

Habituellement des symptômes discrets persistent après excision du plica médiopatellaire. Nous avons constaté que le cordon palpable présent dans la partie antéromédiale du genou chez les malades avec un syndrome de plica n’a pas complètement disparu après excision du repli synovial. Sous tous les plicas une bande retinaculaire était visible et seulement après excision de cette bande le cordon est devenu impalpable. Nous avons conduit une étude pour déterminer le rôle de ces bandes rétinaculaire médiales dans la symptomatologie persistante. Vingt-quatre genoux de 22 malades présentant un syndrome du plica médio patellaire ont été divisés en 2 groupes. L’excision arthroscopique du plica synovial était faite dans le premier groupe et dans le deuxième groupe la bande rétinaculaire sous le plica a été excisée en plus. Quand les scores de Lysholm ont été comparés nous avons vu que le deuxième groupe avait une meilleure amélioration, statistiquement significative. Nous croyons que cette bande rétinaculaire joue un rôle dans la symptomatologie et la physiopathologie du syndrome du plica et que son excision améliore le résultat.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Mersin University Medical School, Mersin, Turkey

    C. Yilmaz, A. Golpinar, A. Vurucu & M. M. Eskandari

  2. Department of Anatomy, Mersin University Medical School, Mersin, Turkey

    H. Ozturk

  3. Mersin Üniversitesi Tip Fak, Hastanesi Ortopedi ve Travmatoloji AD, Zeytinlibahce mah, 33079, Mersin, Turkey

    C. Yilmaz

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  1. C. Yilmaz
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  2. A. Golpinar
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  5. M. M. Eskandari
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Correspondence to C. Yilmaz.

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Yilmaz, C., Golpinar, A., Vurucu, A. et al. Retinacular band excision improves outcome in treatment of plica syndrome. International Orthopaedics (SICOT) 29, 291–295 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-005-0676-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-005-0676-0

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