The Variation of the Patellar Height in Total Knee Arthroplasties and its Relationship with the Replacement or not of the Patella

Objective To compare the measurement of patellar height in the pre- and postoperative period of total knee arthroplasties (TKAs) and its variation in patients with and without patellar replacement. Methods Retrospective evaluation of radiographs of patients submitted to TKA between 2014 and 2020. Profile radiographs were evaluated using the modified Caton-Deschamps patellar height index, comparing the pre- and postoperative measurements of 90 patients, with a total of 100 knees. Next, two groups were compared with a different surgical technique, considering the replacement or not of the patella. All patients who had x-rays evaluated had indication of TKA by osteoarthrosis without previous procedures that could interfere at patellar height. Results The statistical analysis showed a statistically significant difference, with the preoperative index superior to the postoperative rate, evidencing an overall decrease in patellar height. The Caton-Deschamps index modified for mean preoperative TKA was 1.41 (±0.25), and it was 1.31 (± 0.25), p < 0.001for postoperative TKA. No significant difference was found in the variation of this index when comparing the groups with and without patellar replacement. The mean difference of the index in the group without patella was 0.11, and 0.08 in the group with patella, and this difference was considered nonsignificant, p = 0.510. Conclusion We can conclude that patellar height had significant variation in the total group, with reduction of patellar height in the postoperative period. However, the height did not vary significantly between the postoperative groups with and without patellar replacement, regardless of the choice of the surgeon.