Patella

Kristin Yu is a rising fourth-year medical student at the Yale School of Medicine. During her dedicated research year, she explored 3-D printing applications in orthopedic surgery.

According to recently published results, tibial tubercle osteotomy with concomitant distalization resulted in positive radiographic, clinical and functional outcomes in the treatment of patients with patellar instability and patella alta.

Results showed patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty with a cementless 3D-printed metal-backed patella had “excellent” survivorship and clinical and radiographic outcomes at 2 and 5 years.

Published results showed changes in patella tilt, patella engagement and the tibial tuberosity-trochlear groove distance after derotational femoral osteotomy.

The proximal medial patellar restraints, comprised of the medial patellofemoral ligament and the medial quadriceps tendon femoral ligament, were deemed the primary restraints in lateral patellar translation, according to study results.

Patella alta and patella baja are predisposing factors for early onset chondromalacia, according to published results.

John P. Fulkerson, MD, recently wrote a blog article of his team’s findings looking at 3D reconstructions of the patellofemoral articulation in patients with trochlea dysplasia. Their analysis suggest the patella and trochlea are generally congruous in trochlea dysplasia, albeit malformed.

PHOENIX — At the Orthopaedic Research Society Annual Meeting, Alex W. Brady, MSc, discussed a study that evaluated the biomechanical roles of medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction and medial patellotibial ligament reconstruction to stabilize the patella. He said medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction compared with medial patellotibial ligament reconstruction had an important role in patellar stabilization against lateral forces.

DALLAS — Results presented at the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons Annual Meeting showed BMI was a better predictor of periprosthetic joint infection after total knee arthroplasty compared with measures of adipose tissue.

Tibial shaft fractures have an incidence of 16.9 per 100,000 people per year. Men aged 10 to 20 years tend to sustain these fractures, whereas women aged 20 to 30 years tend to sustain these injuries. The mechanisms of injury include low-energy twisting injuries or high-energy trauma which portend a high risk of associated soft tissue injury due to the subcutaneous location of the tibia. Treatment options are largely dictated by integrity of the soft tissue envelope and location of the fracture.