Preliminary experience with a method of quadricepsplasty in recurrent subluxation of the patella

Nineteen knees were treated for recurrent subluxation or dislocation of the patella by lateral and distal transfer of the vastus medialis with or without release of the lateral retinaculum. Fifty-eight per cent has good or excellent and 42 per cent had poor results after a mean follow-up of twenty-nine months. The factors that predisposed to failure were genu valgum greater than 15 degrees and, to a lesser extent, palpable synovitis associated with symptomatic chondromalacia patellae.