title: MEDIAL PATELLOFEMORAL LIGAMENT RECONSTRUCTION TO TREAT RECURRENT PATELLAR DISLOCATION.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present a new technique for reconstruction of the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) in patients with recurrent patellar dislocation and to evaluate the clinical findings from this.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 2007 and January 2008, 23 patients underwent reconstruction of the MPFL with a free graft from the semitendinosus tendon. After a minimum of 24 months of follow-up, 22 patients were evaluated using the Kujala and Lysholm clinical protocols.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean follow up was 26.2 months. According to the Lysholm protocol, the patients had a mean score of 53.72 points preoperatively and 93.36 points postoperatively (p = 0.000006). According to the Kujala protocol, the mean score was 59.81 points preoperatively and 83.54 points postoperatively (p = 0.002173).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reconstruction of the medial patellofemoral ligament using the proposed technique showed excellent results over the short term, when evaluated by means of clinical protocols.
authors.affiliation: Orthopedic Doctor, Member of the Knee Group of the Hospital Madre Teresa, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Matheus Braga Jacques
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Gonçaives
authors.affiliation: Doctorate from Unifesp; Assistant Professor of the Locomotor Apparatus Department of the UFMG School of Medicine. Member of the Knee Group of the Hospital Madre Teresa, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lúcio Honório de Carvalho
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Júnior
authors.affiliation: Orthopedic Doctor, Member of the Knee Group of the Hospital Madre Teresa, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz Fernando Machado
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.affiliation: Orthopedic Doctor, Member of the Knee Group of the Hospital Madre Teresa, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tiago Jacques
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Gonçaives
authors.affiliation: Student Intern, Member of the Knee Group of the Hospital Madre Teresa, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rogério Luciano
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Dos Santos
authors.affiliation: Specializing Doctor at the Hospital Madre Teresa, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcelo Lobo
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Pereira
keywords: Joint Instability; Knee Injuries; Patellar Ligament; Patellofemoral Joint