Update on Patellofemoral Arthroplasty

Patellofemoral arthroplasty (PFA) has been used for the treatment of isolated patellofemoral arthritis for more than 30 years. Changes in implant design, patient selection, and technical considerations have led to improved short-term and midterm outcomes over the past decade. These outcomes suggest that PFA is a valuable tool for patients with isolated anterior compartment degenerative arthritis, especially in the setting of trochlear dysplasia. PFA may provide benefits over total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for isolated patellofemoral arthritis owing to its preservation of tibiofemoral mechanics, less-invasive nature, and the possibility of conversion to TKA using primary TKA components. This review discusses the indications for implant design considerations, proper patient selection, and technical considerations made during surgery which have resulted in PFA becoming a more reliable and useful tool in the treatment of anterior knee pain because of degenerative arthritis.