A novel freehand method for patellar resurfacing in total knee replacement


Published online: Jun 27 2015

Angelos ASSIOTIS, Stephen NG MAN SUN, Simon MORDECAI, John HOLLINGDALE

From Trauma and Orthopaedics Department, Central Middlesex Hospital, London

Abstract

Patellar resurfacing in the context of primary total knee replacement (TKR) and in the presence of patella- femoral osteoarthritis is common and widespread practice, as it reduces the rate of re-operation and anterior knee pain. There are several measuring devices and cutting jigs available in the market, which aim to aid with accurately resecting the patellar articular surface. A common characteristic of these jigs is that the patella needs to be everted at some stage to apply them and use them. The senior author of this paper has developed a method of performing patellar resection with the use of simple instruments with no need to evert it and while it engages the trochlea in a physiological position. We propose that this method is reproducible and produces cuts that are parallel to the trochlea.