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Arthroscopic reconstruction of a ruptured patellar tendon: a technical note

  • Knee
  • Published:
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

A traumatic patellar tendon rupture of a 35-year-old, otherwise healthy male was reconstructed with semi-tendinosus and gracillis tendons. Tendon grafts were harvested with an open-ended tendon stripper without dissecting them free from their tibial insertion. A transpatellar tunnel was drilled appropriate to the tendon size and a passing pin was used across the length of the patella. Graft bundles were passed in a standard fashion, traversing through the midst of the distal part of the patellar tendon via a beath pin with a loaded looped suture. The endobutton device was then flipped and fixed as an anchor. The patella was positioned at the original placement under arthroscopic visualization and the free ends of the hamstring tendons were attached to a post-fixation screw through the Krackow sutures. Tendon grafts were gathered on the tuberositas tibia and fixed with two additional staples. The patient could flex his knee up to 130 deg at the 3-month follow-up. It was demonstrated that arthroscopic reconstruction of a ruptured patellar tendon may be the optimal surgical choice to minimize trauma and begin early rehabilitation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Namik Kemal University School of Medicine, Namik Kemal Caddesi No: 14, 59030, Tekirdag, Turkey

    Alper Gokce

  2. Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Private Umut Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey

    Huseyin Ekici

  3. Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Fahri Erdogan

Authors
  1. Alper Gokce
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  2. Huseyin Ekici
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  3. Fahri Erdogan
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Correspondence to Alper Gokce.

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Gokce, A., Ekici, H. & Erdogan, F. Arthroscopic reconstruction of a ruptured patellar tendon: a technical note. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthr 16, 581–584 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-008-0511-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-008-0511-4

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