Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40095317›Full record

SynthesisKnee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA2026

Open and arthroscopic deepening trochleoplasty improves post-operative outcomes: A systematic review of the literature reveals lack of comparability between techniques.

Signe Høj, Johanne Kofoed Lundegaard, Lars Blønd, Peter Lavard, Anke Simone Rechter, Christian Dippmann, Kristoffer W Barfod

Abstract readSystematic ReviewComparative Study
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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

7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Age at the time of surgery does not compromise the outcome of deepening trochleoplasty: Results from under and over 30 years old.Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA · 2026
    Article
  6. Article
  7. Review
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

7 authors.

Signe HøjSection of Sports Traumatology, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Copenhagen University Hospital Bispebjerg, Copenhagen, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-8869-6615
Johanne Kofoed LundegaardThe Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0005-9080-3433
Lars BløndOrthopedic Department, Zealand University Hospital, Køge, Denmark.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4750-2724
Peter LavardSection of Sports Traumatology, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Copenhagen University Hospital Bispebjerg, Copenhagen, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8167-9630
Anke Simone RechterSection of Sports Traumatology, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Copenhagen University Hospital Bispebjerg, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Christian DippmannSection of Sports Traumatology, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Copenhagen University Hospital Bispebjerg, Copenhagen, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4990-6802
Kristoffer W BarfodSection of Sports Traumatology, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Copenhagen University Hospital Bispebjerg, Copenhagen, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2620-5891

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeDeepening trochleoplasty improves outcomes in patients with trochlear dysplasia. The aim of this systematic review was to present the outcomes after open thin-flap, open thick-flap and arthroscopic deepening trochleoplasty.

methodsA systematic review was conducted using the PRISMA guidelines. Literature was searched in the PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane databases on 16 December 2024. All studies from the inception of the databases to the date of the search were included in the search. Studies were included if they examined patients with patellar instability and trochlear dysplasia treated with either open or arthroscopic deepening trochleoplasty and reported pre- and post-operative outcomes. Two independent reviewers screened titles and abstracts, reviewed the full text and performed the quality assessment.

resultsA total of 32 studies, consisting of 1435 trochleoplasty cases in 1310 patients, were included. Of the included studies, 21 concerned open thin-flap trochleoplasty, 8 concerned open thick-flap trochleoplasty and 3 concerned arthroscopic trochleoplasty. The most used patient-reported outcome measures were the Kujala score, International Knee Documentation Committee score, visual analogue scale pain score, Lysholm Knee Score and Tegner Activity Scale; and the most reported radiological outcome measures were trochlear sulcus angle, trochlear bump, trochlear depth, tibial tubercle-trochlear groove distance, Caton-Deschamps index and patellar tilt. All three trochleoplasty techniques lead to improvements in post-operative outcome measures.

conclusionDeepening trochleoplasty improves post-operative outcome using both open thin-flap, open thick-flap and arthroscopic deepening technique. Comparison between the techniques is challenging due to low methodological quality of studies. Further research is needed to document treatment effect and improve patient outcome. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

Indexed as

ArthroscopyFemurJoint InstabilityPatellar DislocationHumansPatient Reported Outcome MeasuresSurgical FlapsTreatment Outcomearthroscopypatellar dislocationpatellar instabilitysystematic reviewtrochlear dysplasiatrochleoplasty

Identifiers

PMID40095317
PMCPMC12747630

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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.