Arthroscopic extraarticular reconstruction of the medial patellofemoral ligament with gracilis tendon autograft - surgical technique

The standard approach to reconstruct the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) is by mini-open incision at its patellar insertion and femoral origin. At the medial patella rim, the MPFL insertion may be visualized in most cases by dissection during surgery. On the femur, it is more difficult to localize the MPFL remnants by a mini-open incision due to soft tissue covering the anatomical origin. Therefore, the femoral MPFL origin is usually identified by intraoperative lateral fluoroscopy. However, the insertion and origin of the MPFL at the patella and femur might be directly visualized using an arthroscopic extraarticular approach from the knee joint through a window of the synovial layer. This is especially helpful on the femoral side but also at the patella to find the individual anatomical MPFL footprints. Arthroscopic extraarticular reconstruction may then be performed using one additional medial mid-parapatellar portal. The major advantages of this technique are an individualized anatomical procedure, which is minimal invasive and cosmetically appealing. The aim of this study was to describe the arthroscopic extraarticular approach to the MPFL insertion at the patella and origin at the femur through synovial windows and to explain the procedure of arthroscopic MPFL reconstruction with a gracilis tendon autograft.