Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction Using Double Limbed Rectus Femoris Autograft

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Sports medicine
• Biomedical engineering

Background:

• Recurrent patellar dislocations often necessitate medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction when conservative treatments fail.
• Existing surgical techniques frequently involve patellar fixation or bone procedures.
• There is a need for less invasive reconstruction methods, particularly for pediatric patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe and evaluate a novel technique for medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction using a rectus femoris tendon graft.
• To assess the anatomical correspondence and graft characteristics of this technique.
• To determine the suitability of this method for skeletally immature patients.

Main Methods:

• Harvesting a rectus femoris tendon graft using an open stripper, leaving it attached to the patella.
• Performing medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction without bone tunnels or fixation hardware.
• Utilizing the graft for patients with recurrent patellar instability.

Main Results:

• The rectus femoris tendon graft demonstrates superior anatomical correspondence to the native medial patellofemoral ligament.
• The technique provides adequate graft thickness for reconstruction.
• The procedure can be successfully performed in skeletally immature patients without fixation materials or bone tunnels.

Conclusions:

• The rectus femoris tendon graft technique offers an anatomically relevant and effective alternative for medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction.
• This method simplifies the procedure by eliminating the need for patellar fixation or bone tunnels.
• It represents a viable option for treating recurrent patellar dislocations, especially in pediatric populations.