Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27631645›Full record

SynthesisKnee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA2017

Origin and insertion of the medial patellofemoral ligament: a systematic review of anatomy.

Arash Aframian, Toby O Smith, T Duncan Tennent, Justin Peter Cobb, Caroline Blanca Hing

Open access · hybridAbstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 52 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
52citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
4.4field-weighted citation impact, top 5% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

52 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 108 citations in OpenAlex.

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  4. [Effectiveness of modified single patellar tunnel medial patella femoral ligament reconstruction for recurrent patellar dislocation].Zhongguo xiu fu chong jian wai ke za zhi = Zhongguo xiufu chongjian waike zazhi = Chinese journal of reparative and reconstructive surgery · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Arash AframianTrauma and Orthopaedics Department, 5th Floor St James' Wing, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Blackshaw Road, London, SW17 0QT, UK. arash.aframian@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0266-3281
Toby O SmithFaculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK.
T Duncan TennentTrauma and Orthopaedics Department, 5th Floor St James' Wing, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Blackshaw Road, London, SW17 0QT, UK.
Justin Peter CobbImperial College, London, W6 8RP, UK.
Caroline Blanca HingTrauma and Orthopaedics Department, 5th Floor St James' Wing, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Blackshaw Road, London, SW17 0QT, UK.
St George's, University of London · GBImperial College London · GBUniversity of East Anglia · GB

Funding

Orthopaedic Research UK 512Orthopaedic Research UK 520
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThe medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) is the major medial soft-tissue stabiliser of the patella, originating from the medial femoral condyle and inserting onto the medial patella. The exact position reported in the literature varies. Understanding the true anatomical origin and insertion of the MPFL is critical to successful reconstruction. The purpose of this systematic review was to determine these locations.

methodsA systematic search of published (AMED, CINAHL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed and Cochrane Library) and unpublished literature databases was conducted from their inception to the 3 February 2016. All papers investigating the anatomy of the MPFL were eligible. Methodological quality was assessed using a modified CASP tool. A narrative analysis approach was adopted to synthesise the findings.

resultsAfter screening and review of 2045 papers, a total of 67 studies investigating the relevant anatomy were included. From this, the origin appears to be from an area rather than (as previously reported) a single point on the medial femoral condyle. The weighted average length was 56 mm with an 'hourglass' shape, fanning out at both ligament ends.

conclusionThe MPFL is an hourglass-shaped structure running from a triangular space between the adductor tubercle, medial femoral epicondyle and gastrocnemius tubercle and inserts onto the superomedial aspect of the patella. Awareness of anatomy is critical for assessment, anatomical repair and successful surgical patellar stabilisation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Systematic review of anatomical dissections and imaging studies, Level IV.

Indexed as

Databases, FactualFemaleHumansKnee JointMalePatellar LigamentPatellofemoral JointAnatomyAttachmentsInsertionMedial patellofemoral ligamentMPFLOriginReconstruction

Identifiers

PMID27631645
PMCPMC5698363
OpenAlexW2508214263

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.