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

PURPOSE: To describe the unclarified characteristics of medial patellofemoral ligament and its relation to neighboring structures.

METHODS: Sixteen fresh-frozen human knees were dissected in using outside-in and inside-out combined technique. The patellar side attachment was observed from the inside view and femoral side from outside view.

RESULTS: The medial patellofemoral ligament was described a complex and multiconnected structure. The femoral side included the upper and lower portion, of which the upper portion attached on the femur with mean width 7.5 ± 1.1 mm and its superficial fibers extended to the adductor magnus tendon and the medial gastrocnemius tendon, and of which the lower portion appeared a right-triangle connected to the MCL without bony attachment. From inside view, the patellar attachment consisted of the bony and non-bony parts. The width of bony attachment was measured mean 16.3 ± 3.8 mm, and the non-bony attachment was found attached on the vastus intermedius tendon with mean width 21.7 ± 4.8 mm. The average thickness was 0.4 ± 0.1 mm and the length were inside assessed mean 67.9 ± 6.1 mm.

CONCLUSION: 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.