In-Office Needle Arthroscopy of the Knee With Lateral Parapatellar Retinacular Release

William H E Neal; Noah Kirschner; Stephane Owusu-Sarpong; Christopher A Colasanti; Babatunde Fariyike; Andrew S Bi; Mohammad T Azam; James W Stone; John G Kennedy

doi:10.1016/j.eats.2023.06.011

In-Office Needle Arthroscopy of the Knee With Lateral Parapatellar Retinacular Release

Arthrosc Tech. 2023 Sep 25;12(10):e1809-e1813. doi: 10.1016/j.eats.2023.06.011. eCollection 2023 Oct.

Authors

William H E Neal¹, Noah Kirschner¹, Stephane Owusu-Sarpong¹, Christopher A Colasanti¹, Babatunde Fariyike¹, Andrew S Bi¹, Mohammad T Azam¹, James W Stone¹, John G Kennedy²

Affiliations

¹ NYU Langone Health, NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital, New York, New York, U.S.A.
² Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.A.

Abstract

The lateral patellofemoral joint, composed of multiple soft-tissue structures, balances the knee by aiding patella tracking, stability, and force distribution. Arthroscopic lateral release is a well-described procedure that addresses patellofemoral knee pain and, in cases with patellar instability, may be combined with medial stabilization. In-office needle arthroscopy is an up-trending technique that simultaneously diagnoses and treats patellofemoral pathology in the office, leading to a quicker patient recovery, reduced cost, and improved patient satisfaction. The purpose of this Technical Note is to describe in-office needle arthroscopy technique to address patellofemoral pain and lateral patellar mal-tracking, with special consideration for achieving adequate local anesthesia, proper indications, adequate visualization, and the advantages of performing these procedures in the office rather than the operating room.