Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31853621›Full record

ArticleArchives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery2020

High failure rate 10.8 years after vastus medialis transfer and lateral release (Green's quadricepsplasty) for recurrent dislocation of the patella.

Alexander Vacariu, Kathrin Studer, Erich Rutz, Carlo Camathias

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Article in Archives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
0.9field-weighted citation impact, top 27% 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

5 citing papers in PubMed, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Patellofemoral Instability in Children with Down Syndrome.Journal of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America · 2026
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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

4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Alexander VacariuDepartment of Traumatology and Orthopedic Surgery, University Hospital of Basel, Spitalstrasse 21, 4058, Basel, Switzerland. alexander.vacariu@usb.ch.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2530-4900
Kathrin StuderPraxis Zeppelin, St. Gallen, Switzerland.
Erich RutzDepartment of Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery, University Childrens Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Carlo CamathiasPraxis Zeppelin, St. Gallen, Switzerland.
University of Basel · CHUniversity Hospital of Basel · CH

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeIn adolescent patients with recurrent patellar dislocation, the Green's quadricepsplasty stabilizes the patella in a combination of a lateral release, a transfer of the medial head of the quadriceps onto the lateral part of the patella and an imbrication of the medial patellar retinaculum and joint capsule. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term performance, considering re-dislocations and functional outcomes. We hypothesized a high failure rate in the long term.

methodsIn this single surgeon and single center study 26 knees in 23 patients (mean age 14.2 years; 4-22 years, 18 females) with recurrent patellofemoral dislocation underwent a vastus medialis transfer, medial reefing and lateral release as it was described by Green in 1965 with a mean follow-up 10.8 years (6-24 years). Clinical assessment was carried out with an IKDC-score (international knee documentation committee) and a self-assessment for each knee separately. The radiologic evaluation included measurement of the patella height, the grade of trochlear dysplasia and the sulcus angle.

resultsIn 12 of 26 cases (46.2%) the patella did not re-dislocate after vastus medialis transfer and lateral release. In 11 of 26 cases (42.3%), the patients described the function of their knees as normal or nearly normal according to IKDC after the surgical treatment without any re-dislocation. In 14 of 26 cases (53.8%), the patella re-dislocated. 7 of these 14 cases underwent a revision operation. Re-dislocations occurred after a mean interval of 21 months after the index procedure. In only 2 of 26 cases (7.7%) the patients returned to sports.

conclusionGreen's procedure to stabilize patellofemoral instabilities results in a high failure rate on the long-term and low subjective assessments. We do not recommend performing vastus medialis transfer, medial imbrication and lateral release as a standalone technique. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Indexed as

AdolescentAdultChildChild, PreschoolFemaleHumansMaleOrthopedic ProceduresPatellaPatellar DislocationPlastic Surgery ProceduresQuadriceps MuscleTreatment FailureYoung AdultAdolescentChildrenGreen’s procedureKneeLateral releaseMedial imbricationMedial reefingPatellaPatella-femoral instabilityPatellofemoral instabilityQuadricepsplastyTherapyVastus medialis transfer

Identifiers

PMID31853621
OpenAlexW2994658723

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.