Anterior cruciate ligament injury and patella dislocation: a report of nine cases.

Nine patients had combined anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) disruption and patella dislocation and underwent surgical reconstruction of one or both of these injuries. Six patients had both the ACL reconstructed and the patella realigned, and three had only the ACL reconstructed. Associated injuries were present in eight cases; these included meniscal tears in eight patients and medial collateral ligament injuries in two of these same patients. At final follow-up, at an average 19.7 months, examination revealed an average grade 1A Lachman and no pivot on all patients who underwent ACL reconstruction. No patients had hypermobile patellae or apprehension. One patient had a 4 degrees loss of extension and none had a loss of flexion. Two patients had continued anterior knee pain at final follow-up; one of these patients was the same person who had a loss of extension. None had recurrent instability of the ACL and none had recurrent instability of the patella.