Relationship between Anatomical Risk Factors, Articular Cartilage Lesions, and Patient Outcomes Following Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction

Objective The purpose of this study was (1) to determine which risk factors for patellar instability were associated with the presence of patellofemoral cartilage lesions and (2) to determine how cartilage lesion presence, size, and grade affect postoperative disease-specific quality of life.Design Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative demographic, anthropometric (body mass index, Beighton score, hip rotation), radiographic (crossover sign, trochlear bump), cartilage lesion morphology (presence, size, location, grade), and outcomes data (Banff Patella Instability Instrument 2.0 [BPII 2.0]) were prospectively collected from patients undergoing isolated medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction. For all knees ( n = 264), single and multivariable logistic regression was used to determine if any patellar instability risk factors affected the odds of having a cartilage lesion. In patients with unilateral symptoms ( n = 121), single variable linear regression was used to determine if the presence, size, or ICRS (International Cartilage Regeneration & Joint Preservation Society) grade of cartilage lesions could predict the 12 or 24+ month postoperative BPII 2.0 score.Results A total of 84.5% of knees had patellofemoral cartilage lesions (88.3% involved the distal-medial patella). Trochlear dysplasia (high grade: odds ratio = 15.7, P < 0.001; low grade: odds ratio = 2.9, P = 0.015) was associated with the presence of a cartilage lesion. The presence, size, and grade of cartilage lesions were not associated with 12 or 24+ month postoperative BPII 2.0 scores.Conclusions Trochlear dysplasia was a risk factor for the development of patellofemoral cartilage lesions in this patient population. Cartilage lesions most commonly involve the distal-medial patella. There was no significant relationship between patellofemoral cartilage lesion presence, size, or grade and postoperative BPII 2.0 scores in short-term follow-up.