Late Asymptomatic Medial Patella Subluxation Post Total Knee Arthroplasty

Abstract

Post-operative complications are well known to impair the functional outcomes of total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Patella subluxations post-TKA is a grim complication rendering patients disable post-surgery. Howbeit, medial patella subluxation is a rarely recorded incident altogether. This case report describes a patient post successful TKA two years ago, who was incidentally diagnosed with a medial patellofemoral subluxation during a recent routine yearly follow up. This gentleman, however, had no complaints and the only evident clinical sign was anterior knee skin puckering. A radiograph of the knee confirmed our clinical suspicion of medial patella subluxation. The patient’s symptoms, his expectations, radiological findings, what went wrong during surgery and management of this rare entity were analysed. This rarely reported entity requires a high degree of suspicion especially if the patient complains of instability and peculiar anterior knee pain. Diagnosis is customarily clinical and revision surgery is almost invariably necessary.