An observational study in Medial Patellofemoral Dislocation and Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction, sponsored by Aarhus University Hospital. Active, not recruiting at 1 site in Denmark. Open to participants aged 14 Years to 23 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-10-01.
Sponsored by Aarhus University Hospital · Observational
The purpose of this project is to investigate the treatment outcome after MPFL reconstruction in children as a treatment for chronic patellar instability, where the superficial part of the quadriceps tendon is fixed to the femur with anchors.
The outcome will be compared with a healthy cohort matched on age and gender.
Lateral patella dislocation (PL) is defined as a total dislocation of the patella out of the trochlea.
In chronic patella instability, where the patella has been repeatedly dislocated, the treatment is most often surgical. The main ligamentous structure that stabilizes the patella against lateralization is the medial patello-femoral ligament (MPFL). The MPFL is a centimeter-thin ligamentous structure that runs from the upper medial patellar border to the medial femoral epicondyle. This ligament is torn in more than 90% of cases of PL and healing of the ligament is often insufficient, especially if there are predisposing factors in the knee joint such as dysplasia of the patello-femoral joint, high standing patella (patella alta) and hypermobility.
MPFL reconstruction (MPFL-r) can be performed with many different surgical techniques, but the basic principle is to use autologous tendon tissue to create a new MPFL by anchoring the new tendon tissue to the medial patellar border and the medial femoral epicondyle, while ensuring isometry of the reconstruction.
A number of different methods have been described for anchoring the new MPFL to the patella and femoral condyle.
The most commonly used type of graft for MPFL-r is the gracilis tendon, which is fixed with screws in the femur bone preceded by drilling a channel in the femoral condyle.
In non-grown patients, the growth zone of the distal femur is very close to the anatomical attachment of the MPFL. This poses a problem as a reaming that hits the growth zone carries a theoretical risk of compromising growth around the knee.
In addition, up to 50% of patients describe pain at 1 year after surgery if screw fixation is used in the medial femoral condyle.
A new MPFL-r method using a superficial portion of the quadriceps tendon fixed with an anchor provides a good 2-year result compared to gracilis tendon and screw fixation.
The effectiveness and long-term efficacy of MPFL surgery with the quadriceps tendon for children is not well described in the literature.
At the Department of Sports Traumatology in Aarhus, Denmark, the quadriceps technique has been used on non-adult patients since 2016.
In this study, the investigators want to include the 80 patients who have undergone this MPFL-r since 2016 with the quadriceps tendon technique and have a minimum of 2 years of follow-up. This patient group will compared to a healthy cohort matched on age and gender.
Aarhus University Hospital is the lead sponsor of 289 studies on the registry; 79 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Patients who have undergone MPFL quadriceps surgery as children in the period 2016-2022 at Aarhus University Hospital and have more than 2 years of follow-up. The patients will be 14-23 years old at the time of referral.
Inclusion Criteria - Intervention group:
Exclusion Criteria - Intervention group:
Inclusion Criteria - Healthy group:
Exclusion Criteria - Healthy group
Children with medial patellofemoral reconstruction operated with epiphyses sparing quadriceps technique from 2016-2022.
Other: MPFL-reconstruction
A healthy cohort matched on age (+/- 2 years) and gender
Children with patella dislocations are operated from 2016-2022 with a quadriceps knee cap stabilization technique.
Kujala (Anterior Knee Pain Scale)
Patient reported outcome score, 0=worst and 100=best
Time frame: 24 month
Donor site morbidity score, 0=worst and 100=best
Patient reported outcome score
Time frame: 24 month
Numerical Rating Scale (NRS-pain score)
Patient reported outcome score, 0=Best and 10=worst
Time frame: 24 month
Tegner (Activity Score)
Patient reported outcome score, 0=worst and 10=best
Time frame: 24 month
Knee pain
Palpatory pain in relation to graft fixation in femur on a four-point likert scale (0=no pain, 1=mild pain, 2=moderate pain, 4=severe pain)
Time frame: 24 month
One-legged single hop for distance
Physical performance test
Time frame: 24 month
One-legged triple hop for distance
Physical performance test
Time frame: 24 month
Side-to-side hop test
Physical performance test
Time frame: 24 month
Quadriceps Strength test
Physical performance test. Hand held dynamometry
Time frame: 24 month
Gluteus Medius Strength test
Physical performance test. Hand held dynamometry
Time frame: 24 month
Plan to share: No
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in Sep 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Aarhus University Hospital