QUADRICEP TENDON TURNDOWNS FOR MPFL RECONSTRUCTION: AN ANATOMICAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ORIGINS OF THE QUADRICEP TENDON AND MPFL ON THE PATELLA

Quadriceps tendon (QT) turndowns are an alternative method for medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction, with several distinct advantages: 1. Avoids the use of patella bone tunnels, which have been associated with patella fracture, 2. Avoids the use of separate incision for hamstring tendon harvest, and 3. Avoids the use of allograft tissue, which adds a significant cost. The disadvantage of the Quad Tendon graft is that the most distal reflection point on the patella may not duplicate the patella origin of the native MPFL. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a QT graft for MPFL reconstruction is anatomically analogous to the native MPFL origin in a skeletally immature population