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Quadriceps Tendon Autograft Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction

  • Advances in Patellofemoral Surgery (L Redler, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Critically evaluate the published literature related to quadriceps tendon (QT) medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction.

Recent findings

Hamstring tendon (HT) MPFL reconstruction techniques have been shown to successfully restore patella stability, but complications including patella fracture are reported. Quadriceps tendon (QT) reconstruction techniques with an intact graft pedicle on the patella side have the advantage that patella bone tunnel drilling and fixation are no longer needed, reducing risk of patella fracture. Several QT MPFL reconstruction techniques, including minimally invasive surgical (MIS) approaches, have been published with promising clinical results and fewer complications than with HT techniques. Parallel laboratory studies have shown macroscopic anatomy and biomechanical properties of QT are more similar to native MPFL than hamstring (HS) HT, suggesting QT may more accurately restore native joint kinematics.

Summary

Quadriceps tendon MPFL reconstruction, via both open and MIS techniques, have promising clinical results and offer valuable alternatives to HS grafts for primary and revision MPFL reconstruction in both children and adults.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Gelenkpunkt – Sports and Joint Surgery, Olympiastr 39, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria

    Christian Fink, Peter Gföller & Robert Lawton

  2. Research Unit for Orthopaedic Sports Medicine and Injury Prevention, Institute for Sports Medicine, Alpine Medicine and Health Tourism (ISAG)/UMIT, Hall in Tirol, Austria

    Christian Fink & Robert Lawton

  3. Orthopedic Surgery Residency, Mount Carmel Health System, Columbus, OH, USA

    Robert Steensen

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  1. Christian Fink
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Correspondence to Christian Fink.

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Christian Fink is a consultant for Karl Storz, Medacta and Zimmer Biomet and reports royalties from Karl Storz. The other authors have no conflict of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Advances in Patellofemoral Surgery

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Fink, C., Steensen, R., Gföller, P. et al. Quadriceps Tendon Autograft Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med 11, 209–220 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12178-018-9476-1

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