OBJECTIVE: To study the difference of post-op patellofemoral pain, clunk and crepitus in patients with/without resurfacing at 5 years who had pre-op patellofemoral pain. To study the incidence of post-operative patellofemoral pain, clunk and crepitus following patelloplasty in both the groups. METHODS: Retrospective review of 765 patients who had total knee replacement with/without resurfacing.Patients were asked about both pre-operative pain and also post-operative pain 5 years after the operation. Patients were examined by a specialist nurse at 5 years post-operatively to check for any patellofemoral clunk/crepitus. RESULTS: 688 patients (89.9%) had preoperative PF pain. Of 688 patients, 449 had patellar resurfacing and 239 had not (NR). Thirty-six patients from the NR group had patelloplasty. The incidence of postoperative PF pain was 13.3% in the R group and 13.6% in the NR group. The incidence of postoperative PF clunk in was 10.4% in the R group and only 1.3% in the NR group (statistically significant, p < 0.005 compared to the R group). CONCLUSION: In patients with pre-op PF pain, there is significant (p<0.005) higher incidence of post-op clunk in the R group. In patients without pre-op PF pain, there is significantly (p<0.005) higher incidence of post-op crepitus in the R group. In patients with/without pre-op PF pain, the incidence of post-op PF pain, clunk and crepitus is lower than in patients who underwent patelloplasty when compared to the other members of the NR group (statistically significant p<0.005). Level of Evidence Type 4, Case Series.
Patellofemoral pain syndrome; Patella; Arthroplasty, replacement, knee; Prospective studies
