Comparison of Three Surgical Techniques to Achieve Patella Symmetry During Resection

The guide is clamped onto the patella and tightened so that it remains stable. The guide has a slot that allows insertion of a standard sagittal saw blade, and this slot guides the blade as it is advanced across the patella. The thickness is then measured in the center of the patella to ensure that the resection goal is achieved. Additional resection may be performed as needed.

It consists of a free hand cut (no guide used) with a standard sagittal saw that is oriented based on osteo-cartilaginous landmarks and haptic palpation of the patella by the surgeon. The resection thickness/obliquity can be altered based on haptic feedback (use of the sense of touch) of the patella. The thickness is then measured in the center of the patella to ensure that the resection goal is achieved. Additional resection may be performed as needed.

Resection is performed in a free handed fashion, but after resection, the thickness of the patella is measured separately in all four quadrants (superolateral, superomedial, inferomedial, and inferolateral). Additional resection is performed as needed based on the quadrant measurements and the measurements are repeated after each resection until satisfactory resection thickness and symmetry are obtained.