The height of the patella: an anatomical study

The anterior region of the left knee joint of fifty fresh human cadavers (37 males, 13 females) was dissected and the following measurements were carried out: length of the patella (LP), width of the patella (WP), length of the patellar tendon (LT), and width of the patellar tendon (WT). The ratio LT/LP for assessment of the vertical position of the patella was 1.00 (range 0.72-1.38; SD 0.14) and found to be in full agreement with radiographic studies carried out first by Insall and Salvati in 1971 and later by other authors. There was no significant statistical difference between the Insall-Salvati index in males and females. The length and width of the patella as well as the length of the patellar tendon were found to be significantly larger in males than in females (P less than 0.001).