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REVIEW article

Front. Surg.
Sec. Orthopedic Surgery
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fsurg.2025.1507362

Recurrent Patellar Dislocation: Treatments and Challenges

Provisionally accepted
Fei Yang Fei Yang 1,2Changshun Chen Changshun Chen 1,3*Rongjin Chen Rongjin Chen 1*Chenhui Yang Chenhui Yang 1Hefang Xiao Hefang Xiao 1*Zhiwei Feng Zhiwei Feng 2*Bin Geng Bin Geng 1*Yayi Xia Yayi Xia 1*
  • 1 Department of Orthopaedics, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China
  • 2 Nanchong Central Hospital, Nanchong, Sichuan Province, China
  • 3 Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Recurrent Patellar Dislocation (RPD) is a common knee sports injury, mainly affecting pediatric and adolescent populations, posing a significant challenge in orthopedic clinical practice.Although a variety of treatments have been reported, and many of them have shown good initial results, there is a lack of long-term follow-up results. Each treatment method has its own unique characteristics and limitations, and there is no standardized and unified treatment plan. This article provides a comprehensive review of current treatments for RPD. We believe that regardless of the surgical method used, patellar dislocation should not occur at 0° to 90° of postoperative knee flexion and extension, and the range of motion should not be limited. Our ultimate goal is to restore patellar stability and improve lower limb alignment, thereby restoring knee function as much as possible. In addition, future treatment options for RPD are also discussed. In the future, there should be more in-depth research on the risk factors and pathogenesis that lead to recurrent patellar dislocation, as well as more randomized controlled trials focusing on different treatment methods. A comprehensive understanding of these is crucial for implementing preventive measures and developing targeted treatment strategies. The goal of this narrative review is to offer clinicians a deeper understanding of RPD treatment, enhance clinical decision-making skills, and encourage personalized and efficient management of RPD treatment.

    Keywords: Recurrent patellar dislocation, Surgical strategies, Individualized treatment strategies, clinical decision-making, Challenges

    Received: 08 Oct 2024; Accepted: 08 Jan 2025.

    Copyright: © 2025 Yang, Chen, Chen, Yang, Xiao, Feng, Geng and Xia. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Changshun Chen, Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Yunnan University, Kunming, 650106, Yunnan Province, China
    Rongjin Chen, Department of Orthopaedics, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, 730030, Gansu Province, China
    Hefang Xiao, Department of Orthopaedics, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, 730030, Gansu Province, China
    Zhiwei Feng, Nanchong Central Hospital, Nanchong, 637000, Sichuan Province, China
    Bin Geng, Department of Orthopaedics, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, 730030, Gansu Province, China
    Yayi Xia, Department of Orthopaedics, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, 730030, Gansu Province, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.