Treatment of patello-femoral arthritis using the Lubinus patello-femoral arthroplasty: a retrospective review.

There are few published results in the literature on patello-femoral arthroplasty. The aim of this study was to help to define the place of patello-femoral arthroplasty in the treatment of isolated patello-femoral arthritis. All patients who underwent patello-femoral arthroplasty using the Lubinus prosthesis for patello-femoral arthritis between 1992 and 1998 in two neighbouring district general hospitals were studied. There were 34 patients who underwent 45 arthroplasties. The modified Hungerford and Kenna scoring system and the Insall and Crosby scoring system were used to clinically evaluate the patients. Serial radiographs were assessed for patellar malalignment, mechanical failure and progressive arthritic change. Twenty-three knees (64%) had a good or excellent result, six (17%) had an unsatisfactory result and seven (19%) were revised to either a total knee arthroplasty (5 knees) or patellofemoral arthroplasty (2 knees). Although the results do not compare favourably with those of total knee replacement for generalised arthritis of the knee; we believe that with careful patient selection coupled with careful surgical technique, patello-femoral arthroplasty can be successfully used to treat isolated patello-femoral osteoarthritis.