In sixty-five knees followed for an average of 4.5 years after treatment
of subluxation or dislocation of the patella by the slot-block method of
medial patellar-tendon transfer, the results were satisfactory in
fifty-four (83%) and unsatisfactory in eleven (17%). Recurrent subluxation
or dislocation occurred in three (5%) of the knees and was attributed to
insufficient displacement. Chondromalacia of the patella became worse after
transfer in three of the sixty-two knees in which the distal realignment
was technically correct. Two knees (3%) required patellectomy because of
patellofemoral symptoms and there were nineteen complications in seventeen
knees, including loss of motion in six, wound infection in six,
displacement of the bone block in three, recurrent dislocation in three,
and rupture of the patellar ligament in one. The method is believed to give
superior results but it is technically demanding.