Acute Traumatic Dislocations of the Patella

Twenty-three consecutive patients with acute traumatic dislocation of the patella were followed up for a mean period of 39 months. All patients had a medial capsulorrhaphy and in eight cases a supplementary lateral capsulotomy. Dislocation recurred in two cases, one of whom had had a supplementary lateral capsulotomy. Chondromalacia was demonstrated at followup in eight patients, six of whom belonged to the lateral capsulotomy group. We conclude that lateral capsulotomy confers no advantage in the operative repair of acute dislocation of the patella.