[Anterior knee pain in knee arthroplasty with or without a patellar component].

INTRODUCTION: The appearance of patellofemoral pain after a knee arthroplasty, particularly in rheumatic diseases, resulted in the incorporation of the substitution of the patellar component in all designs. The replacement of the patella became a standard part of knee arthroplasty, but the controversy over whether to restore it or not continues among orthopedists that perform knee arthroplasties.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the incidence of anterior knee pain in patients who underwent primary knee arthroplasty with or without replacement of the patellar component.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Observational, retrospective, descriptive and transversal study from January 2011 to December 2013.

RESULTS: A total of 54 patients were included, 12 men (with an average age of 63 years) and 42 women (with an average age of 71 years), totaling 64 knees that were surgically intervened.

CONCLUSION: This study found no significant difference in anterior knee pain and in the function of the patellofemoral joint and the knee in the groups of patients who were tested with the different scales.