SURGICAL TREATMENT OF PATELLOFEMORAL INSTABILITY.

Objective: To describe functional outcomes following surgical treatment of patients with patellofemoral instability submitted to patellar realignment.

Methods: This was a retrospective study evaluating 34 operated knees for patellofemoral instability between 1989 and 2004. The patients were evaluated in the late postoperative period when a functional questionnaire was applied.

Results: After a mean follow-up time of 6 years and 5 months, the mean score was 82.94 in the surgical group (p=0.00037). The results of this investigation showed pain relief in 97.05% and low rate of recurrent dislocation (5.88%), although lower scores were seen in intense articular activities (squatting, running and jumping). No patient developed osteoarthritis while being followed up.

Conclusion: The procedure for joint described in this paper was shown to be effective for treating patients with recurrent patellofemoral instability.