Background: The medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) is the most frequently injured soft tissue structure following acute lateral patellar dislocation. MPFL reconstruction has become a popular option to restore patellar stability following lateral patellar dislocation due to the high incidence of recurrent instability following conservative management. Anatomic reconstruction of the MPFL minimizes graft length changes during full knee range of motion and restores patellar stability.
Materials & methods: Four fresh frozen cadaver specimens underwent biomechanical testing in a materials testing machine. With the knee fixed in 30° of flexion, the patella was translated laterally a distance of 10 mm and continuous force-displace- ment data was collected with the intact MPFL and again following a newly described MPFL reconstruction technique. Lateral force-displacement and stiffness data were calculated, allowing comparison between the intact and reconstructed MPFL.
Results: The average lateral restraining force provided by the intact MPFL was 10.6 ± 5.7, 36.6 ± 2.7, and 69.0 ± 5.9 N while the lateral restraining force following MPFL reconstruction was 0.4 ± 4.3, 50.3 ± 16.3, and 110.2 ± 17.5 N at 1, 5, and 10 mm of lateral displacement, respectively.
Conclusion: Anatomic MPFL reconstruction displays similar lateral restraining force compared to the intact MPFL at low levels of lateral displacement. At higher levels of displacement, the reconstructed MPFL provides increased lateral restraining force compared to the intact MPFL, improving patellar stability in pathologic knees.