[Transposition of the tibial tuberosity in recurrent dislocations and painful femoro-patellar syndromes. Study of a continuous series of 140 operated knees].

Surgical displacement of the tibial tuberosity has been performed in 140 cases over a 10-year period. Medial displacement with or without ventralization of the tuberosity gave excellent results in all 11 cases presenting with recurrent patellar dislocation. Anterior displacement of the tuberosity using a modified Maquet procedure was performed in 129 knees presenting with femoro-patellar pain (chondromalacia patellae, femoro-patellar osteoarthritis). Indication for surgery was intractable femoropatellar pain. Surgical technique (isolated anterior translocation or anterior and internal translocation of the tuberosity) was selected according to clinical and radiological examination. Results were very good in 50% of cases, good in 30%, poor in 20%. No patient was made worse after the procedure. The complication rate was acceptably low, due to meticulous surgical technique. The overall good results in this series are related to strict selection of patients.