title: Morphology of the femoral insertion site of the medial patellofemoral ligament.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to identify the femoral insertion of the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) and related osseous landmarks.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 31 unpaired human cadaveric knees were studied. The MPFL was identified, and the site of its femoral insertion was marked. Three-dimensional images were created, and the location and morphology of the femoral insertion of the MPFL and related osseous structures were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The MPFL was identified in all knees. The femoral insertion of the MPFL was elliptical in shape, and the mean surface area was 56.5 ± 16.9 mm(2). The characteristic features of the femoral insertion of the MPFL could not be identified, but the adductor tubercle was clearly identified in all knees. The centre of the femoral insertion of the MPFL was 10.6 ± 2.5 mm distal to the apex of the adductor tubercle on the long axis of the femur, and the position of the insertion site was consistent in all knees.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The adductor tubercle was clearly identified as an osseous landmark. The femoral insertion of the MPFL was approximately 10 mm distal to the adductor tubercle. These findings may improve understanding of the anatomy of the femoral insertion of the MPFL and may assist surgeons in performing anatomical reconstruction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Iwate Medical University, 19-1 Uchimaru, Morioka, Iwate, 020-8505, Japan, nqi45560@nifty.com.
authors.forename: Kotaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujino
authors.forename: Goro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tajima
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Youichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kamei
authors.forename: Moritaka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maruyama
authors.forename: Sanjuro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: Shuhei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimamura
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002102:Cadaver; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008023:Ligaments, Articular / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed