Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29806056›Full record

ArticleKnee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA2018

Arthroscopic patellar release allows timely return to performance in professional and amateur athletes with chronic patellar tendinopathy.

Jan M Pestka, Gernot Lang, Dirk Maier, Norbert P Südkamp, Peter Ogon, Kaywan Izadpanah

Abstract read
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Article in Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.2field-weighted citation impact, top 24% 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

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 14 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. A Systematic Review of Surgical Treatment for Refractory Patellar Tendinopathy.Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Global research & reviews · 2025
    Pooled it
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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

6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Jan M PestkaDepartment of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, University Medical Center Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Hugstetter Strasse 55, 79106, Freiburg, Germany. jan.pestka@uniklinik-freiburg.de.
Gernot LangDepartment of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, University Medical Center Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Hugstetter Strasse 55, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
Dirk MaierDepartment of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, University Medical Center Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Hugstetter Strasse 55, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
Norbert P SüdkampDepartment of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, University Medical Center Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Hugstetter Strasse 55, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
Peter OgonDepartment of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, University Medical Center Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Hugstetter Strasse 55, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
Kaywan IzadpanahDepartment of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, University Medical Center Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Hugstetter Strasse 55, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
University Medical Center Freiburg · DEUniversity of Freiburg · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeReturn to sports rates in amateur and professional athletes with chronic patellar tendinopathy following arthroscopic patellar release are unpredictable. The present study aims to analyse the effectiveness of arthroscopic patellar release in professional compared to amateur athletes.

methodsA total of 34 amateur and 20 professional athletes with chronic patellar tendinopathy, refractory to conservative treatment, were studied prospectively and underwent arthroscopic tendon release at the inferior patellar pole. Impact of grouped sports on clinical and functional outcome, subjective patient satisfaction and return to sports rates were assessed. Additionally, preoperative MRI-scans of the knee were evaluated and correlated with clinical outcome.

resultsIn 40 patients (74.1%) arthroscopic patellar release resulted in complete recovery and return to preinjury exercise levels. Full return to sports was achieved after a median of 3.0 (range 0.5-12.0) months. Functional outcome measures VISA-P (Victorian Institute of sport assessment for patella) and modified Blazina scores improved significantly from pre- to postoperatively (VISA-P: 48.8 vs. 94.0 pts., respectively, p < 0.0001; Blazina: 4.47 vs. 0.5, respectively, p < 0.0001).

conclusionAs rapid recovery and timely return to sports are crucial for professional athletes, arthroscopic patellar release should be considered after failed conservative treatment. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Indexed as

ArthroscopyReturn to SportAdolescentAdultChronic DiseaseFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPatellar LigamentPatient Outcome AssessmentProspective StudiesTendinopathyYoung AdultAnterior knee painJumper’s kneePatellar tendinitisProfessional/amateur athletesReturn to sports

Identifiers

PMID29806056
OpenAlexW2804445329

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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.