Analysis of cartilage injury patterns and risk factors for knee joint damage in patients with primary lateral patella dislocations

Epidemiology of Lateral Patellar Dislocation Including Bone Bruise Incidence: Five Years of Data from a Trauma Center

OBJECTIVE

Systematic summary of the epidemiology of patellar dislocation is rare. This study aims to investigate sex-, age-, type-, injury causing events-, incidence of bone bruise and time from last injury (TFLI)-specific characteristics, and detail the epidemiological characteristics of patellar dislocation.

METHOD

In this descriptive epidemiological study, a total of 743 patients who have a history of lateral patellar dislocation with either first-time patellar dislocation (FPD) or recurrent patellar dislocation (RPD) between August 2017 and June 2022 at our institution met the inclusion criteria and were selected in this study. Patient characteristics including the type, gender, age, events leading to patellar dislocation, incidence of patellar bone bruise, and the time from last injury (TFLI) of patellar dislocation were retrospectively obtained and described. Magnetic resonance imaging scans (MRI) of the knee were reviewed for insuring bone bruise.

RESULTS

Among the 743 patients with patellar dislocation who required surgical reconstruction of the medial retinaculum, 418 (56.2%) had RPD and 325 (43.8%) had FPD. There were more females (65.0%) than males (35.0%) in patellar dislocation patients. Among the female patients, those aged <18 years had higher incidence (31.4%) of patellar dislocation. Among the male patients, those aged <18 and 19-28 years had higher incidence (16.8%) of patellar dislocation. Of all age groups, the prevalence rate of patellar dislocation was high in juvenile population and females, but with no statistical significance. The most common patellar dislocation-causing event was sport accidents (40.1%), followed by life accidents (23.2%). The incidence of left-knee patellar dislocation was slightly higher than that of right-knee patellar dislocation. The incidence of patellar bone bruise of RPD (63.2%) was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than that of FPD (82.2%). Patellar dislocation patients with bone bruise had shorter time from last injury (TFLI) than those without patellar bone bruise (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of bone bruise of RPD was lower than that of FPD, and patients with patellar bone bruise may have a shorter time from last injury than those without bone bruise.

Prevalence and Site of Concomitant Osteochondral Injuries in Patients With Acute Lateral Patellar Dislocation: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background

Osteochondral injuries (OCIs) are common in patients with acute lateral patellar dislocation, which can produce both short- and long-;term adverse effects. However, the pattern of these injuries warrants further analysis, especially in relation to patient age.

Purpose

To determine the overall prevalence of concomitant OCIs as well as the prevalence differences based on location and age after acute lateral patellar dislocations.

Study Design

Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods

A comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library was completed from inception to July 20, 2022. All articles reporting the prevalence of OCI were included. The sample characteristics such as age, study design, magnetic resonance imaging diagnostic data, and the number of patients with OCI were extracted. The Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS) was used for quality assessment. The overall and per-;site injury rates were calculated, and the prevalence was stratified by age-;group (≤16 and >16 years) and compared.

Results

The systematic review included 39 studies involving 3354 patients. MINORS scores were 11.94 ± 1.98 and 16 ± 3.46 in the noncomparative and comparative studies, respectively. The overall prevalence of bone bruises and OCI was 89.6% (95% CI, 77.4%-97.7%) and 48.8% (95% CI, 39.0%-58.7%), respectively. In both overall and >16-year-old patients, the lateral femoral condyle (LFC) was the most common site of bone bruise (90.5% [95% CI, 84.0%-95.6%] and 91.5% [95% CI, 84.3%-96.9%], respectively); however, the medial patellar bruise was more common in patients ≤16 years (89.2% [95% CI, 82.9%-94.4%]). Among the pooled sites of OCI, the medial patella accounted for the largest proportion (36.9% [95% CI, 28.0%-46.3%]). OCIs were more common in patients >16 years (52.6% [95% CI, 39.4%-65.6%]) than in patients ≤16 years (46.6% [95% CI, 33.2%-60.3%]).

Conclusion

Bone bruises on the LFC were most prevalent overall and in patients >16 years, whereas bone bruises on the medial patella were more prevalent in patients ≤16 years. OCIs were frequently seen in patients >16 years, with the most common site being the medial patella.

Factors associated with an increased risk of osteochondral injuries after patellar dislocations: a systematic review

PURPOSE

The purpose of the study was to summarize the available evidence and identify risk factors for osteochondral injuries (OCIs) after patellar dislocations.

METHODS

A systematic literature review was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and China national knowledge infrastructure from inception to December 22, 2022, according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines. Studies regarding risk factors for OCIs after patellar dislocations were included. Literature search, data extraction, and quality assessment were performed independently by two authors.

RESULTS

A total of 16 studies with 1945 patients were included. The risk factors for OCIs after patellar dislocation were categorized into four main categories, including demographic characteristics, patellar depth and position, femoral trochlear morphology, and other risk factors in this study. Five and three studies supported the idea that male sex and skeletal maturation may be risk factors, respectively. Normal femoral trochlea (two studies) and complete medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) injuries (two studies) may be associated with the development of OCIs. Three studies show that ligamentous laxity or joint hypermobility may prevent OCIs. Patellar depth and position (eight studies) may not be associated with the development of OCIs.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the available evidence, an increased risk of OCIs following patellar dislocation may be associated with male sex and skeletal maturation. Furthermore, normal femoral trochlea and complete MPFL injuries may increase the risk of OCIs, while factors such as ligamentous laxity or joint hypermobility may reduce the risk.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, systematic review of Level II and IV studies.

Patterns of Associated Knee Ligament and Chondral Injuries in First-Time Traumatic Patellar Dislocation: A Retrospective Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) -Based Study

Introduction First-time acute traumatic patellar dislocation, when managed without a knee magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, may lead to missed diagnoses of important associated knee injuries. The aim of this study was to ascertain the incidence of associated ligamentous and cartilaginous injuries in first-time traumatic patella dislocation. Methods  This was a five-year retrospective study on patients aged 16-45 who had knee MRI scans showing the characteristic bone bruise patterns seen in traumatic lateral patellar dislocation. Anonymized data from the hospital picture archiving and communication system (PACS) was obtained with each scan reviewed by a consultant radiologist, a fellowship-trained orthopaedic knee specialist, and an orthopaedic registrar or resident. Results  A total of 200 knee MRI scans were screened. 61 eligible knee MRI scans were included in the study. The patients' ages ranged from 16 to 42 years old, with a mean of 25 years. 73.8% were male. A medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) tear or rupture occurred in 58 of 61 knees (95%) with MPFL attenuation in three (5%) injured knees. Meniscal injuries were identified in 5 of 61 knees (8.2%), medial collateral ligament (MCL) injuries in 11 of 61 knees (18%), osteochondral injuries and loose bodies in 17 of 61 knees (27.9%), and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in one knee (1.6%). Conclusions  This single-centre MRI-based study has provided information on the incidence of associated chondral and ligamentous injuries in patients with first-time acute traumatic patellar dislocation. This information will be useful for clinicians when counselling patients and will add to the available literature on this injury. An MRI scan should be obtained in cases of suspected first-time traumatic patellar dislocations, especially in active young patients, due to the incidence of other associated traumatic knee lesions that might need surgical treatment and lead to persisting knee symptoms if neglected.

Magnetic resonance imaging is able to detect patellofemoral focal cartilage injuries: a systematic review with meta-analysis

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to analyze the diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to detect and grade the severity of patellofemoral (PF) cartilage injuries.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted on PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Library databases (up to July 1st 2022) to search for studies that reported the diagnostic accuracy of MRI to detect and grade PF cartilage injuries as compared to diagnostic arthroscopy. Risk of bias was judged using the QUADAS-2 tool. Quantitative syntheses were performed to calculate the diagnostic accuracy metric-sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood (LR+) and negative likelihood (LR-) ratios, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR)-and presented as median with 25% and 75% percentiles. The summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curves were also calculated. Diagnostic accuracy metrics were calculated for all PF cartilage injuries and then sub-grouped by patellar and trochlear lesions. Diagnostic accuracy was also calculated according to the grading of cartilage injuries.

RESULTS

Forty-five studies were included for qualitative analyses and forty studies were included for quantitative synthesis. A total of 3534 participants with a weighted mean age of 38.1 years were included. Diagnostic accuracy was generally high: sensitivity (0.8, 0.6-1.0), specificity (0.9, 0.8-1.0), LR+ (6.4, 3.1-15.3), LR- (0.3, 0.2-0.4) and DOR (21.3, 9.9-121.1). The area under the curve (AUC) of the SROC was 0.9. The diagnostic accuracy was slightly higher for patellar (sensitivity 0.8, specificity 0.8, LR+ 5.3, LR- 0.2, DOR 28.8) than for trochlear lesions (sensitivity 0.7, specificity 0.9, LR+ 5.5, LR- 0.4, DOR 14.3). The sensitivity was generally higher when grading advanced (vs. early or intermediate) cartilage injuries of the patella.

CONCLUSION

The MRI is able to diagnose PF cartilage injuries with reasonably high diagnostic accuracy (as compared to arthroscopy). Clinicians can rely on MRI to reliably diagnose PF cartilage injuries (with some limitations) which will play an important role in deciding for surgical or non-operative treatment.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III.

Predictors of Occult Chondral Injury Sustained After a Primary Patellar Dislocation

Background and objective

Primary patellar dislocations can concomitantly involve osteochondral injuries for which prompt recognition is paramount for joint preservation. These injuries can be missed on radiographs, necessitating MRI examinations. In this study, we aimed to identify patient parameters that correlate with occult osteochondral injuries.

Methods

Patients were retrospectively identified between 2015 and 2020 through a chart review. The inclusion criteria were as follows: patients diagnosed with a primary patellar dislocation with three radiographic views and an MRI of the injured knee. Demographic and radiographic data were evaluated.

Results

A total of 61 patients met the inclusion criteria. There were no statistically significant demographic differences between patients with osteochondral injuries and those without (p>0.05). Seven knees (88%) with an osteochondral lesion and 20 (38%) without had an effusion (p=0.02). There was no association in terms of ligamentous laxity (p=0.49), Caton-Deschamps index (CDI) (p=0.68), sulcus angle (SA) (p=0.68), congruence angle (CA) (p=0.56), and lateral patellofemoral angle (LPFA) (p=0.25) between patients with and without an occult osteochondral injury.

Conclusion

Among the parameter examined, the presence of an effusion was the only one that correlated with the presence of occult osteochondral injury in our cohort.