John P. Fulkerson, MD

Optimizing surgical intervention for a patient with recurrent patella instability can be challenging, particularly when considering the possibility of adding an osteotomy. Accuracy is paramount.

Results published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine showed tibial tubercle osteotomy with vs. without distalization yielded similar postoperative outcomes for patients with patellofemoral instability, malalignment and patella alta.

Results showed significant correlation between patient-reported outcome measures for patients with patellofemoral instability and the Banff Patellofemoral Instability Instrument 2.0, which may assess kinesiophobia and pain catastrophizing.

According to published results, thick-shell sulcus-deepening trochleoplasty may yield clinical improvements and high satisfaction for skeletally immature patients with patellar instability and open distal femoral physes.

New awareness of 3D imaging of the patellofemoral joint is adding further objectivity to our analysis.

Before 2000, some referred to the patellofemoral joint as a “black box.” However, that probably sounds odd to most readers in 2024.

According to published results, decreased medial patellar width may be a more accurate indicator for recurrent lateral patellar dislocation compared with traditional measures such as trochlear dysplasia and patella alta.

Recently, a young athletic male patient came in and was treated for “patellofemoral syndrome” for 6 months with no improvements.

Planning patella instability correction has improved greatly thanks to the Lyon “menu á la carte” and the Dejour classification of trochlea dysplasia.

WAILEA, Hawaii — In this video from Orthopedics Today Hawaii, John P. Fulkerson, MD, discussed the use of 3D modeling to visualize patellofemoral anatomy and aid decision-making when treating patients with patellofemoral instability.