Orthopaedic Surgery

Answer 6 Patellar dislocation. Patients who sustain a patellar dislocation will typically report that their knee dislocated. Careful history taking will quickly reveal that the patella, not the entire knee, dislocated. The key physical examination will assess for patellar laxity and apprehension. A Merchant, or "sunrise," radiographic view is necessary to assess for patellar subluxation and tilt and to determine if there are any obvious loose bodies. Treatment for acute first-time patellar dislocations is a matter of some controversy. Some authors advocate acute repair of the medial patellofemoral ligament, which is the main restraint to lateral patellar displacement, but long-term studies are not yet available. Click here to return to the questions

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