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Patella tendon length after patella arthroplasty

  • Orthopaedic Surgery
  • Published:
Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Aim

The study aimed to assess tendon length change following patello-femoral replacement (PFR) surgery and total knee replacement (TKR).

Method

A retrospective analysis was conducted of 40 patients undergoing PFR surgery and 40 patients undergoing TKR and an unoperated control group. Immediate preoperative radiographs were compared with those at 1 year postoperatively. Intra/inter-observer error was assessed in four observers.

Result

In the unoperated patients the mean shortening was 0.6% (range 6% shortening to 3% lengthening). The mean shortening after PFR surgery was 0.1% of shortening (range 14% shortening to 11% lengthening). The mean shortening after TKR was 7.14% (range 25% shortening to 7% lengthening).

Conclusion

Shortening of the patella tendon after PFR surgery occurs infrequently and less severely compared with TKR.

Level of evidence

Level 2 prognostic study.

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Acknowledgments

The study was reviewed and approved by the National Research Ethics Committee queries service.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Orthopaedic Library, Bristol Royal Infirmary, Bristol, BS28HW, UK

    Damian Clark, Vipul Mandalia, Andrew Hughes, Steven Mitchell, Atanu Bhattacharjee & Jonathan Eldridge

Authors
  1. Damian Clark
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  2. Vipul Mandalia
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  3. Andrew Hughes
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  4. Steven Mitchell
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  5. Atanu Bhattacharjee
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  6. Jonathan Eldridge
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Damian Clark.

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Clark, D., Mandalia, V., Hughes, A. et al. Patella tendon length after patella arthroplasty. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 132, 179–183 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-011-1407-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-011-1407-1

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