Guidelines for Treatment of Lateral Patella Dislocations in Skeletally Mature Patients

The incidence of lateral patella dislocations is high, particularly in young females. Beside traumatic cases, many patients present with specific anatomical factors that predispose to lateral patella dislocations (torsional abnormalities of the femur or the tibia, trochlea dysplasia, patella alta, etc). It is of utmost importance to correct those pathologic factors during concomitant procedures as isolated reconstructions of the medial patellofemoral ligament would fail in the presence of severe anatomic risk factors. This article provides a comprehensive instruction on how to analyze the risk factors for lateral patella dislocation (anatomy, physical examination, imaging) and reports the authors' favorite surgical techniques. Moreover, treatment algorithms are provided for primary and recurrent cases of lateral patella dislocation.