A recent meta-analysis comparing patellar resurfacing non-resurfacing conducted by researchers in Germany and Egypt found clear support for patellar resurfacing during primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA).
The study, “Better outcomes with patellar resurfacing during primary total knee arthroplasty: a meta-analysis study,” appears in the October 2019 edition of The Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery.
Co-author Filippo Migliorini, M.D., with the University Clinic of Aachen in Germany in the Orthopedic Department and a researcher in the Orthopedics Biomechanics Department, explained the issues surrounding patellar resurfacing to OTW, “The question of whether to resurface the patella or not is a debated topic and no consensus has been reached. The clinical purpose of this work was to improve current knowledges and update current evidence concerning the role of patellar resurfacing during total knee arthroplasty.”
The researchers conducted a meta-analysis of prospective clinical trials and compared the reported outcomes for patellar resurfacing to outcomes from studies which did not resurface. The research group only considered published studies which had been classified as level of evidence I to II.
Dr. Migliorini summarized his methodology as follows to OTW, “We included 31 studies, 23 randomized clinical trials providing a minimum of 24-months follow-up. Data from 4,132 knees were analyzed; the mean follow-up was 66.64 ± 38.76 months.”
“Patellar resurfaced total knee arthroplasty was demonstrated to have performed superior overall. Patellar resurfacing resulted in a lower rate of post-operative anterior knee pain and reoperation. Moreover, the resurfacing group showed greater value of the analyzed clinical scores. In favor of the retaining group, a slightly better range of motion was evidenced.”
