[The patello-femoral joint in osteoarthritis of the knee with genu varum (author's transl)].

The authors have treated 63 knees with osteoarthritis associated with varus deformity by valgus osteotomies. The clinical and radiological state of the patello-femoral joints has been studied before and after correction of varus deformity. No correlation was found between the severity of tibio-femoral osteoarthritis and patello-femoral osteoarthritis. Medial patello-femoral discordance was found in 12 p. 100 of the cases. Clinical evidence of pain arising from the patello-femoral joint was more often found than evidence of radiological abnormality. It is concluded that pain arising from the medial compartment may be confused with patellofemoral pain. A five-year follow-up showed that the patello-femoral joint was not influenced radiologically by the valgus osteotomy but patellar pain was improved in most of the cases. Procedures to re-align the patella should not normally be associated with valgus osteotomy in cases in which patellar pain exists in association with osteoarthritis of the knee with varus deformity.