Patella baja is a challenging pathologic condition that causes pain and functional restrictions and can even lead to premature osteoarthritisdeven more so in cases of patella infera or cases associated with degeneration of the patellar tendon in which simple conservative treatment frequently is not resolutive. Several surgical options have been described for symptomatic patella baja: excision of the lower third of the patella, lengthening of the patellar tendon, reconstruction of the patellar tendon with allograft, and proximalization of the tibial tubercle. A combination of 2 or more of these treatments may be recommended in cases of significant patella baja. We present a simple and reproducible technique to address patella baja that combines a partial transposition of the tibial tubercle and patellar tendon lengthening using a subperiosteal patellar flap in continuity with the patellar tendon.

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear is one of the most common sport-related injuries and the request for ACL reconstructions is increasing nowadays. Unfortunately, ACL graft failures are reported in up to 34.2% in athletes, representing a traumatic and career-threatening event. It can be convenient to understand the various risk factors for ACL failure, in order to properly inform the patients about the expected outcomes and to minimize the chance of poor results. In literature, a multitude of studies have been performed on the failure risks after ACL reconstruction, but the huge amount of data may generate much confusion.The aim of this review is to resume the data collected from literature on the risk of graft failure after ACL reconstruction in athletes, focusing on the following three key points: individuate the predisposing factors to ACL reconstruction failure, analyze surgical aspects which may have significant impact on outcomes, highlight the current criteria regarding safe return to sport after ACL reconstruction.