The inwardly pointing knee. An unrecognized problem of external rotational malalignment

Abstract

Twelve patients with inwardly pointing knees had chronic knee pain and disability suggestive of patellofemoral subluxation. None had responded well to conservative measures or surgical correction at the level of the soft tissues. Their pattern of limb alignment was studied roentgenographically and was found to differ significantly from the control group of 49 healthy young adults. The deformities primarily related to the tibia were external tibial torsion, excess varus angulation of the tibial plateau, and varus knees. Angulation of the femoral condyles was normal and femoral anteversion did not appear to contribute significantly to the deformity. Surgery in seven cases (nine knees) was by derotation valgus Maquet osteotomy of the tibia and lateral release realignment of the patellae. Outcome assessments after a three-year follow-up period (five knees) were excellent. Early results on the remaining cases were satisfactory.