Soft-tissue realignment for adolescent patellar instability.
Patellar malalignment or instability is a frequent problem in adolescents. Patients with persistent symptoms require operative correction with procedures often requiring osteotomies of the tibial tubercle. Insall described a soft-tissue procedure to correct instability in adults, and others have used this in adolescents. Short-term results have seemingly been satisfactory in the skeletally immature population. A long-term outcome study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of soft-tissue realignment for patellar instability in adolescents. From 1980 to 1996, 54 patients (65 knees) underwent Insall proximal-distal soft-tissue realignment. No concomitant bony or other soft-tissue procedures were performed. Follow-up averaged 6 years (range, 2-15 years), assessing stability, strength, range of motion, and congruence angle on the Merchant's view. Eighty-seven percent had a good to excellent result; 8%, a fair result; and 5%, poor results.
Shriners Hospitals for Children, Shreveport, Louisiana 71101, USA.
R E
RE
McCall
V
V
Ratts
D000293:Adolescent; D017760:Bone Malalignment / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D010329:Patella / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011859:Radiography; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D016896:Treatment Outcome