Anterior knee joint pain is one of the common symptoms of the knee joint problems, and abormal alignment of the patellofemoral joint is the most common cause of it.
Lateral retinacular contracture is one of the main cause of this abnomality, which can exert lateral retiacular strain and finally lead to arthrosis of the patellofemoral joint.
Arthroscopic lateral retinacular release is usually performed for the cases not responding to minimum three months of conservative treatment. Though pernits earlier rehabilitation than open technique, it also has many problems because of complications including hemarthrosis.
As there can be no effects or even adverse effects in cases of patellar hypermobility or abnormal lateral femoral condyle, so good prognostic factors are to be sought in order to get good resuts of the rthroscopic operation.
In a prospective study of 15 patients (21 cases), complaining of anterior knee joint pain without any other diseases, intractable to conservative measures, treated by arthroscopic lateral retinacular releases, the following results were obtained.
1. In case with positive gliding test of patella and without chondromalcia proven by arthroscopic examination, the results were besst(p<0.01).
2. The results are not good if there deformity or patellar hypermobility(p<0.05).
3. No correlations wee found between the ages, sex, knee laxity, Q angles and the results of operations.
4. If arthroscopic lateral retinacular releases were performed for the patients with postive gliding test and without chondromalacic changes, deformity and hypermobility, good results could be ogtained.
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