Decision Making and Management of Anterior Knee Pain in Young Patients With Pathological Femoral Anteversion: A Critical Analysis Review.

J Am Acad Orthop Surg · Jul 16 2024 · Review

Sanchis-Alfonso V, Teitge RA

From the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hospital Arnau de Vilanova, Valencia, MI (Teitge)

Sports Medicine

SUMMARY — THE REDUCTIONThis review highlights that pathological femoral anteversion is an underrecognized cause of anterior knee pain and that derotational osteotomy is the treatment of choice, though evidence-based cutoffs and osteotomy level remain undefined.
Abstract, as published

Pathological femoral anteversion (FAV) or femoral maltorsion is often overlooked as a cause of anterior knee pain (AKP). Therefore, it should be routinely evaluated during physical examination of the patient with AKP. FAV is a problem because it changes the direction of the quadriceps and thereby the force acting on the patellofemoral joint. The Murphy CT method comes closest to showing the anatomical reality when FAV is evaluated. The treatment of choice in a patient with AKP with symptomatic excessive FAV is the femoral derotational osteotomy. Before doing a derotational osteotomy, the hip joint should be evaluated to avoid hip pain. Currently, no scientific evidence supports the cutoff point at which derotational femoral osteotomy should be the treatment of choice in young patients with AKP with symptomatic pathological FAV. Furthermore, no evidence exists regarding the level at which the osteotomy must be done.

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