Single Versus Double Tunnel Fixation in Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction: A Meta-Analysis

The purpose of this meta-analysis was to conduct a comparative analysis of clinical scores and complication rates among patients experiencing recurrent patellar dislocation who underwent medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction using both single and double tunnel techniques. A comprehensive search was conducted across electronic databases including PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Google Scholar to retrieve articles relevant to MPFL reconstruction utilising the tunnel technique. Subsequently, meta-analyses were undertaken to assess complication rates and changes in clinical scores before and after surgery. Following this, sensitivity analysis and meta-regression analysis were performed to scrutinise potential confounding variables. A total of thirty-two studies were included in the analysis, comprising twenty-seven non-comparative studies and five comparative studies. The findings revealed a similarity in postoperative complication rates between the single and double tunnel fixation techniques: [9.0% (95%CI, 4.0%-15.6%) versus 8.9% (95%CI, 4.7%-14.1%, p = 0.844)]. Likewise, no statistically significant differences were observed in Lysholm scores [34.1 (95%CI, 26.7-41.5) versus 33.8 (95%CI, 27.7-40.0, p = 0.956)], Kujala scores [29.4 (95%CI, 22.3-36.4) versus 27.3 (95%CI, 22.3-32.3, p = 0.637)], and Tegner score change [1.1 (95%CI, 0.8-1.4) versus 0.7 (95%CI, -0.2-1.6, p = 0.429)] before and after MPFL reconstruction, respectively, using these two techniques. In conclusion, the authors found that the clinical functional improvement and complication rates in MPFL reconstruction using the single tunnel fixation technique are comparable to those achieved with the double tunnel fixation approach. However, to further advance the understanding in this field, additional randomised controlled studies must be conducted to provide further insights. Key Words: MPFL reconstruction, Bone tunnel, Patellar dislocation, Meta-analysis.