Association between Patellar Instability and Increased Supratrochanteric Torsional Malalignment.

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Radiology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Recurrent patellar dislocation (RPD) is prevalent in adolescents.
• Anatomic factors, including femoral torsion, contribute to RPD.
• Accurate assessment of these factors is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between femoral torsion and RPD.
• To quantify femoral torsion levels using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 22 patients with RPD and 28 controls.
• MRI was used to measure supratrochanteric torsion (STT), infratrochanteric torsion (ITT), and femoral anteversion.
• Statistical analysis included t-tests and chi-square tests.

Main Results:

• Femoral anteversion was significantly higher in the RPD group (20.1° vs 11.5°, P=.0001).
• Supratrochanteric torsion (STT) was significantly greater in the RPD group (41.3° vs 35.2°, P=.0002).
• Infratrochanteric torsion (ITT) showed no significant difference between groups (P=.14).

Conclusions:

• Increased femoral anteversion in RPD is linked to the supratrochanteric region.
• Further research on femoral anatomic variables and patellar instability is warranted.