Femoral Shortening Osteotomy in Managing Congenital Patellar Dislocation: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Congenital patellar dislocation is a very rare knee disorder characterized by the lateral dislocation of patella from birth, which cannot be reduced. The disorder affects both knees and is a persistent condition. Bony and soft tissue anomalies are part of the pathoanatomy of this disorder. The diagnosis is clinically confirmed by the presence of a patella that is displaced posterolaterally. Neglected ailments may lead to severe functional impairment and degenerative changes in the knee joint, resulting in increasing disability over time. Usually, correction by surgery is the recommended treatment approach.

A 6-year-old female child was diagnosed with congenital patella dislocation in both knees. The child was unable to walk due to this disorder. The range of movement was 70°-130° in both knees. Subsequently, the child had to undergo surgery to repair the knee defect in bilateral lower limbs. The patient's condition at the time of presentation, the surgical procedure, and clinical outcomes at the end of 1 year has been described.

Congenital dislocation of the patella is an uncommon disease that typically develops from birth. Although repeated casting and braces are effective for treating the flexion contracture of the affected knee in case of congenital patella dislocation, repositioning the displaced patella requires surgical intervention. To prevent any possible problems and long-term consequences of the disease, it is essential to identify it and perform a surgical intervention to repair the deformity as soon as possible. Usually, surgical correction is the recommended treatment approach for this congenital disorder.