Arthroscopic deepening trochleoplasty for chronic anterior knee pain after previous failed conservative and arthroscopic treatment. Report of two cases

PURPOSE: A proportion of patients having years of chronic anterior knee pain(AKP) that have not responded to non-operative modalities. Trochlear dysplasia have been found to be a cause for AKP. By restoring the anatomy with a trochleoplasty procedure the patellofemoral joint is unloaded. This study is a prospective 2 year follow-up study, based on two cases with chronic AKP for several years and having severe trochlear dysplasia and both were successfully treated by arthroscopic deepening trochleoplasty. METHODS: Case one was a 46 year old women with chronic anterior knee pain (AKP). Imaging showed lateral trochlear inclination angle of 2°, trochlear asymmetry 0.36, central height 81% and medial height 83%. Thepreoperative Kujala score was 70 and Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) subscale for pain was 67. Case two was a 26 year old man troubled by AKP and knee knee joint effusion for >8 years without any instability in the history. Imaging showed lateral trochlear inclination angle of 6°, trochlear asymmetry 0.25, central height 76% and medial height 78%. The preoperative Kujala score was 49 and KOOS subscale for pain was 72. RESULTS: The postoperative Kujala score was for case one 82 and for case two 81. The postoperative KOOS subscale for pain was for case one 89 and for case two 92. Improvement in the KOOS subscale for sport and recreational activities and quality of living were also found. CONCLUSION: This is the first case report to demonstrate that patient having had years of chronic AKP and trochlear dysplasia can be successfully treated by arthroscopic trochleoplasty.