The results of patellectomy for degenerative arthritis causing patellofemoral pain were reviewed in twenty-seven of thirty-nine patients five to sixteen years after operation. All operations were performed by the senior author and all the patients included in the study were personally examined by the authors at follow-up. The results were rated good or excellent in three-quarters of the patients who were re-examined. No evidence of progressive joint degeneration attributable to the patellectomy was evident. Three failures occurred in knees with generalized degenerative arthritis at the time of operation.