PATELLOFEMORAL KNEE PROSTHESIS - WHY IS IT RARELY USED?

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Biomedical Engineering
• Knee Biomechanics

Background:

• Patellofemoral (PF) osteoarthritis is a common cause of knee pain, often leading to impaired function.
• Current treatment options for isolated PF osteoarthritis are limited, with arthroplasty emerging as a viable alternative.
• Advancements in prosthesis design are enhancing the potential for PF arthroplasty in clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present initial outcomes of patellofemoral (PF) knee joint prosthesis implantation.
• To review current literature on PF arthroplasty.
• To evaluate the efficacy of PF arthroplasty in patients with isolated PF osteoarthritis.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 8 PF knee joint prostheses implanted between 2012 and 2021.
• Functional assessments including WOMAC, KSS (pain and function), Tegner activity level, and VAS pain scores.
• Clinical and radiological follow-ups to assess prosthesis stability and patellar tracking.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements observed in postoperative WOMAC (38.4 to 95.5), KSS pain (34.25 to 94), KSS function (53.75 to 95), Tegner activity (1.86 to 3), and VAS pain (7.14 to 1.86) scores (p < 0.0001).
• Prostheses demonstrated stability and normal patellar tracking throughout the follow-up period (mean 5.87 years).
• One patient required conversion to total elbow prosthesis (TEP) after 5.5 years.

Conclusions:

• Patellofemoral (PF) arthroplasty is a successful treatment for isolated PF osteoarthritis, yielding significant functional improvements.
• The study supports the expanding role and indications for PF arthroplasty due to improved prosthesis designs.
• PF arthroplasty offers a promising solution for patients suffering from debilitating PF joint pain and dysfunction.