Diagnosis and Surgical Correction of Medial Patellar Subluxation

This article reviews the clinical entity of medial patellar subluxation, including relevant anatomic and biomechanical factors. Most cases of medial patellar subluxation occur as a late complication of lateral retinacuiar release. Symptoms include pain, disability, crepitus, and intermittent swelling. Clinical signs include subluxation of the patella with manual medial glide, an observable defect in the vastus lateralis tendon, and positive apprehension with medial patellar glide. The application of various imaging methods is also presented. Finally, the authors review several surgical procedures for correction of medial patellar subluxation.