A polygon-shaped complex appearance of medial patellofemoral ligament with dynamic functional insertion based on an outside-in and inside-out dissection technique

Abstract

The medial patellofemoral ligament which dissected a complicated structure with bony and non-bony attachment and multi-connected to neighboring structures on both patella and femur side appears as a polygon-shaped complex structure.

Editorial Commentary: Medial Patellofemoral Complex: Driving a Better Understanding of Medial Knee Anatomy

“…52 Most of the studies in the last 2 years are in agreement that the MPFC attaches more proximally than we thought, having a connection to the medial border of the vastus intermedius tendon (Table 1). 40,41,[43][44][45]47,49,50 My colleagues and I performed a cadaveric dissection and found similar findings; that MPFC originates from a midpoint between the femoral epicondyle and adductor tubercle. It fans out into 2 bands: a main thick band to the upper half of the patella and a thin upper layer running anteriorly, upward, then under the vastus medialis obliquus.…”

Surgical and Radiological Anatomy of the Medial Patellofemoral Ligament: A Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Cadaveric Study

“…The preparation was held from the inside of the joint because during the pilot anatomical preparations, we found that it was easier to access the MPFL without injury, as the third layer is less attached to the second layer than the first, and as soon as the capsule was detached we came into direct contact with the MPFL, either by direct vision or by palpation [24].…”