Radiographic changes in the patella following quadriceps turndown for revision total knee arthroplasty

Quadriceps turndown is a technique that may be used to enhance exposure of the tight total knee arthroplasty (TKA), particularly in the revision scenario. This technique does, however, compromise the vascularity of the patella, with avascular necrosis (AVN) being a possible sequela. A modified Coonse-Adams quadriceps turndown was performed in 29 revision TKAs in 27 patients. Immediate preoperative and sequential postoperative radiographs were analyzed for changes in the patella, including sclerosis, flattening, fracture, and fragmentation, as evidence of possible AVN, and clinical scores were collected prospectively. Eight patellae had such radiographic changes. Despite a lack of corresponding worsening in clinical outcome in these patients, quadriceps turndown is shown to have a high risk of subsequent changes consistent with patellar AVN, and should be avoided when other available techniques can achieve satisfactory exposure.