Resection of the patellar ligament: a complication of arthroscopic synovectomy

Knee arthroscopy has evolved over the years to a point where most orthopaedic surgeons feel comfortable with both diagnostic and operative arthroscopy. As a result of the more powerful and sophisticated instrumentation available today, the role of operative arthroscopy has far surpassed original expectations. Certain instrumentation carries with it increased risk of both intraarticular and extraarticular injury if the surgeon fails to pay attention to anatomic landmarks. In this communication, we report a previously undescribed complication of operative arthroscopy--resection of the patellar ligament.