Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None
Check
Recurrent dislocation of the patella is an uncommon but not a rare condition. The largest series of cases in English literature was one presented by Harrison (1955) consisting of 26 cases. It is said in Liverpool that Hugh Owen Thomas subjected the lateral condyles of the femur to periodic hammering to stimulate their growth. This treatment is considered to have controlled the dislocation at least in two cases. According to Brattstrom (1964) it was Roux who first described the operative treatment of this condition in 1888 by transferring medially the attachment of ligamentum patellae. Hauser (1938) described the operation of total transplantation of patellar tendon along with a block of bone. Bryan McFarland (1948) believed in excision of patella in all cases. Scandinavian literature contains more references to this condition and the largest series among these reports is by Thestrup Anderson (1955) who published a series of 292 cases, treated in various clinics in Denmark during a period of 30 years from 1920 to 1951. Brattstrom (1964) has reported on radiological and clinical investigations on 131 cases, treated in the clinics of Sweden and Denmark between 1945 and 1961. The condition called Luxation of Patella has been described in working bulls in veterinary surgical literature. This is being effectively treated by intra-articular injection of Lugol’s iodine or surgically by the subcutaneous division of a tight ligament on the outer aspect of the knee. The main purpose of this paper is to present a modified surgical technique which sounds logical and has consistently given good results. Cases considered here are those where there has been some congenital anomaly and minor trauma has acted as a possible predisposing factor. Cases where a gross genu valgum due to other causes secondarily produces a dislocation of patella have not been included in this study.
