Differential Therapeutic Options for Knee Extension Reconstruction

Functional lack of knee extension is an important limitation for patients. Whereas in younger patients the limitation of activity usually dominates, in older patients there is also the risk of secondary injuries due to an increased risk of falls due to instability and unsteady gait. Depending on the cause, an improvement in quality of life can be achieved for most patients through various methods of knee extension reconstruction. There are no general restrictions for reconstruction due to comorbidities or age. The present study offers a comprehensive overview of the potential options for reconstruction, as well as a decision-making aid for operative indication, that considers the underlying lesion and patient-specific characteristics. Local reconstructions, functional tendon- and nerve-transfers and free functional muscle transfers are presented. Further information on the postoperative procedure is given, as well as an overview of the expected result. The therapeutic aim should not end with controlling a tumour disease or treating the initial trauma, rather therapy planning should also include functional reconstruction as part of an interdisciplinary therapeutic approach to improve quality of life and participation as well as preventing secondary consequences of disease or trauma.