Comparative study between quadriceps tendon sling and semitendinosus graft for medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction

Background Acute patellar dislocation is a common knee injury. The main injured structure is the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL). This ligament is the main static stabilizer against lateral patellar dislocation. Many surgical techniques have been described for the management of MPFL tear. The gold standard graft used for reconstruction is the hamstring. This study was done to compare the results of quadriceps tendon sling with semitendinosus graft for MPFL reconstruction (MPFLR). Patients and methods A prospective comparative study was held on 62 patients in El-Hadra University hospital between March 2018 and November 2019. Patients were divided into two groups. Group A had quadriceps graft and group B had semitendinosus graft for MPFLR. Patients were matched for age, sex, and body mass index. All cases were assessed clinically and functionally over 12 months of follow-up. Results There was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups regarding Lysholm, Tegner, International Knee Documentation Committee, Visual Analog Scale, and Kujala scores. However, there was a statistically significant difference regarding the SCAR score. Conclusion Quadriceps tendon sling is a reliable alternative for MPFLR, especially in patients with small patellae or previous anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.