Patellar Clunk Syndrome after Patellofemoral Arthroplasty: A Case Report

Patellar clunk syndrome is defined as a painful catching of the patella upon knee extension from a flexed position after total knee arthroplasty. It is usually caused by the formation of a discrete fibro synovial nodule at the junction between the superior pole of patella and the quadriceps tendon. We report a case of patellar clunk syndrome in a 51 year-old female after a patellofemoral joint replacement that improved after arthroscopic nodule excision and lateral retinacular release.