Abstract :
We read Øye et al.’s article (Øye et al. 2016) with great
interest. On reviewing our patient cohort presenting with dis-
locating patellae mainly in adolescents and early adulthood,
of those with trochlear dysplasia (TD) as defi ned by Henri
Dejour on lateral plain radiograph (Dejour et al. 1990), we
had 4 breeches in 133 patients. The breech presentation rate
in the United Kingdom is essentially the same. The key to
Øye et al.’s paper is the defi nition of TD; a femoral sulcus
angle of >157° on ultrasound (Oye et al. 2015). We have no
experience of ultrasound use in neonates, but we have under-
taken a study on children and adolescents (Toms et al. 2009)
which concluded “In patients with patellar instability, CT and
MR are reliable techniques for measuring the femoral sulcus
angle but US, particularly of the articular cartilage, is not. MR
is therefore the most suitable tool for longitudinal studies of
the femoral sulcus.” We were interested in using ultrasound to
monitor changes in the femoral sulcus during the fi nal growth
spurt in at risk patients.
