A minimally invasive medial patellofemoral ligament arthroscopic reconstruction

The medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction is recognized as a good choice for patients with recurrent patellar dislocation. Most techniques of the medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction are open surgeries. Recently, we present a minimally invasive medial patellofemoral ligament arthroscopic reconstruction technique as a possible alternative method for recurrent patellar dislocation. The aim of the study was to describe a safe and effective technique to perform medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction. The graft was prepared in shape to "Y." Two 5-mm incisions were made in the skin above the medial edge of the patella. Two docking bone tunnels were drilled from medial edge to the center of the patella, mimicking the wide patellar insertion of the medial patellofemoral ligament, and a bone tunnel was made at the femoral insertion site. Two free ends of the graft were fixed into the patellar tunnels by lateral cortical suspension, and the folded end was fixed into the femoral tunnel by bioabsorbable interference screw. Average patellar tilt and the congruence angle were 30.7° ± 7.5° and 52.7° ± 7.3° and were reduced to 12.8° ± 0.9° and 2.3° ± 11.5° after treatment. The Kujala score was increased from 63.0 ± 9.0 to 91.0 ± 7.0. The minimally invasive medial patellofemoral ligament arthroscopic reconstruction in this paper seems to be helpful to increase safe of operation and treatment effect and reduce complications.