BackgroundThe Roux-Goldthwait patellar stabilisation (R-G) involves the medial transfer of the distal attachment of the lateral half of the patellar tendon. This paper reviews the long-term results of the R-G in a predominantly adult population.MethodologyThis is a retrospective study looking at patients with recurrent patellar instability who were treated with an R-G technique by a single surgeon over a 36-year period from 1976 to 2012. The primary outcomes measured were further patella instability and further knee surgical procedures.ResultsA total of 202 knees in 170 patients were analysed in this study. Patients between the ages of 9 and 70 years old (average 21 years old) were included in this study. The operative procedure changed during the study period. Initially, patients did not undergo concurrent arthroscopy. Early patients were likely to have additional lateral releases and open medial reefing procedures. More recent patients were more likely to undergo an isolated R-G procedure via a minimally invasive incision. The most common further operative procedure was arthroscopy of the knee for chondral pathology at 13.9%. These were more common early in the study period when patients did not have an initial arthroscopy. Recurrent dislocation was reported at 12.9%, with 5.9% of patients having revision stabilisation surgery, at a mean of 5.58 years (range = 1-15 years) postoperatively.ConclusionsThe R-G procedure is effective in treating recurrent patellar instability in both the paediatric and adult population. It can be performed as an isolated and minimally invasive procedure which is technically simple and has low morbidity.