The management of lateral patellar dislocation: state of the art

Lateral patellar dislocation (LPD) is a common injury in children and adolescents, often leading to adult sequelae such as a lack of confidence due to recurrent instability and pain due to chondral damage. The contemporary approach to diagnosis and evaluation of this injury has centred on elucidation of anatomic risk factors, which are used to plan surgery when surgical stabilisation is warranted. However, these anatomic factors need to be evaluated in the context of other patient-specific factors, such as age, clinical impact of the instability and sporting level and aspirations. This article will focus on the identification and significance of anatomic risk factors and the ongoing challenges facing practitioners treating LPDs.