Services
Patella Realignment Surgery
OVERVIEW
Patella or kneecap instability is a common cause of knee pain that negatively impacts your ability to perform day-to-day activities. There are several factors that may predispose to patella instability which may range from normal anatomical variants to injury or trauma. The kneecap is adjusted surgically if it has moved out of place and cannot be corrected manually. This can be done either by reconstructing a torn ligament or moving the kneecap up, down, or sideways to regain stability. Soft tissue and bone may also be cut out, tightened or moved.
Symptoms of a kneecap dislocation:
Symptoms of a kneecap dislocation may include:
- Stiffness
- Swelling
- Kneecap feels or looks out of place
- The knee buckles and is unable to support the weight
- Knee catches or cracks when flexed
- Pain in the front of the knee that is relative to your activity level
When is a patella realignment surgery indicated?
Surgery may be indicated when:
- Pain severely limits your ability to do activities
- When a rehab program isn’t helping enough
- When nonsurgical treatment has been exhausted
- When kneecap dislocations occur more than once
- When there are loose bone fragments
What happens during patella realignment surgery?
Patella realignment surgery involves the orthopaedic surgeon making small incisions over the bump at the top of the tibial tubercle (shin). The skin will be held apart, and a surgical saw will be used to free up the tubercle. The orthopaedic surgeon will move the kneecap into its original position inside the groove along the end of the thigh bone. The kneecap will be slightly elevated. The tubercle will then be secured in its new location with the use of screws. After the procedure, the incisions will be stitched closed, and you will be taken to the recovery room, where you will be monitored. If there are no complications, the new attachment of the patella ligament will heal as strongly as before the injury.