The patellar ligament: A comprehensive review

The patellar ligament (PL) is an epiphyseal ligament and is part of the extensor complex of the knee. The ligament has gained attention due to its clinical relevance to autograft and tendinopathy. A variety of anatomical variations of the PL such as aplasia, numerical variations, and vascularity are being reported recently by clinicians and anatomists. The aim of this literature was to review the available literature to provide a consensus regarding anatomic variations of the PL, neurovasculature surrounding the PL, histology of the PL, and various aspects of PL measurements with relevance to the surgical considerations and sex and age-related differences. A narrative review of the patellar ligament was performed by conducting a detailed literature search and review of relevant articles. A total of 90 articles on the patellar ligament were included and were categorized into studies based on anatomical variations, neurovasculature, morphometrics, microanatomy, sex and age-related difference, and ACL reconstruction. The anatomical variations and morphometrics of the PL were found to correlate with the frequency of strain injuries, tendinopathy, and efficacy of the PL autograft in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. The sex differences in PL measurements and the effect of estrogen on collagen synthesis explained a higher incidence of patellar tendinopathy in women. An awareness of its variations enables careful selection of surgical incisions, thereby avoiding complications related to nerve injury. Accurate knowledge of the PL microanatomy assists in understanding the mechanism of ligament degeneration, rupture, autograft harvesting, and ligamentization results.     

Dorsal suspension for Morton’s neuroma: A comparison with neurectomy

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the clinical outcomes of dorsal suspension with those of neurectomy for the treatment of Morton’s neuroma.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective study of dorsal suspension and neurectomy group. The dorsal suspension was performed by dorsal transposition of neuroma over the dorsal transverse ligament after neurolysis. The visual analog scale (VAS), the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM), postoperative satisfaction, and complications were evaluated.ResultsBoth groups reported significant pain relief, and there were no significant differences between the groups with respect to postoperative pain. The postoperative FAAM outcomes showed no significant between-group differences. Satisfaction analysis showed ‘excellent’ and ‘good’ results in the dorsal suspension and neurectomy groups (95% and 77.7%, respectively). Complications of numbness and paresthesia reported in the dorsal suspension group (5% and 5%, respectively) were significantly fewer than those of neurectomy group (61.1% and 33.3%, respectively) (both, p < .05).ConclusionsWith its favorable results, dorsal suspension can be another operative option for the treatment of Morton’s neuroma.Level of Evidence: Level III, retrospective comparative case series.     

髌周去神经化预防全膝关节置换术后膝前疼痛

目的　依据髌周解剖学特点，探讨全膝关节置换术（total knee arthroplasty，TKA）中应用髌周电灼去神经化的临床效果。 方法　纳入82名诊断为骨性关节炎的患者（91膝），予行双侧或单侧不置换髌骨的TKA，按随机对照原则将病人分为两组，共有41名实验组患者（45膝）在TKA中接受了髌周去神经化处理，41名对照组患者（46膝）未做该处理。手术主刀为同一骨科医师，均使用相同的膝关节假体系统。主要评价项目包括膝关节KSS评分、Western Ontario and McMaster Universities（WOMAC）、Feller髌骨评分及VAS评分。 结果　82名患者术后均获随访，平均随访时间为12个月，两组病人的膝关节KSS评分、WOMAC、Feller髌骨评分及VAS评分均无显著统计学差异（P>0.05）。 结论　在TKA中行髌周电灼去神经化，不能显著改善病人的预后。     

Evaluation of the anterolateral ligament of the knee by magnetic resonance imaging in patients with chronic anterior cruciate ligament rupture

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the visibility of the anterolateral ligament (ALL) by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with chronic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture.Materials and methodsThis retrospective case – control study compared 1.5 - T MRI scans for 50 patients with a chronic ACL rupture with those of a control group of 50 patients with an intact ACL. The ALL was evaluated in three portions: femoral, meniscal, and tibial. The status of each portion was classified as visualized or non-visualized. Two radiologists separately reviewed all the MRI scans to evaluate interobserver reliability.ResultsAt least one portion of the ALL was visualized in 100% of the control group and 72% of the chronic ACL rupture group. All three portions of the ALL were identified in 72% of the control group but only 10% of the chronic ACL rupture group. In both groups, the most commonly visualized portion was the meniscal portion and the least visualized was the tibial portion. In 18% of the chronic ACL rupture group, no portion of the ALL was visualized.ConclusionsThe visibility of the ALL of the knee was significantly lower in patients with a chronic ACL rupture than in those with an intact one.