Reconstruction of severe patellar infera syndrome with free vascularised composite tensor fascia lata flap

Sulaiman AR, Halim AS, Azman WS, Eskandar H
Correspondence: Dr A Razak Sulaiman, abdrazak@kb.usm.my

ABSTRACT
Post-traumatic severe patella infera and intra-articular adhesion may lead to a severe knee stiffness. We report a 29-year-old man, a muslim prayer leader, who had a previous knee injury. He presented with knee movement from ten degrees to 30 degrees, patellar infera with a length of patella to length of patellar tendon ratio of 2:5, and severe knee arthrofibrosis. He underwent incision of the patella ligament and open arthrofibrosis release, leaving a tendon gap and skin defect of 5 cm. Reconstruction was successfully done using a free vascularised composite tensor fascia lata flap. He regained full range of knee motion with normal strength quadriceps mechanism at five months after surgery, and remained in full function at 18 months follow-up.

Keywords: fascia lata, free vascularised flaps, patellar infera syndrome, post-traumatic adhesion, tensor fascia lata graft
Singapore Med J 2008; 49(8): e205-7