Recurrent patellar dislocation: personalised therapy or operative treatment? The REPPORT randomised trial protocol

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Sports Medicine
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Recurrent patellar dislocation commonly affects young individuals, causing pain and potential long-term damage like osteoarthritis.
• Current management options include physiotherapy and surgery, but their comparative effectiveness is unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the clinical and cost-effectiveness of personalized knee therapy against surgery for recurrent patellar dislocation.
• To evaluate which initial management strategy yields better outcomes for patients.

Main Methods:

• A pragmatic, multicentre, two-arm, superiority, randomised controlled trial (REPPORT) involving 276 participants.
• Participants are randomly allocated 1:1 to personalized knee therapy or surgery, stratified by age, patella alta, and recruitment site.
• Primary outcome is participant-reported function (Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome 4-domain score) at 18 months; health economic evaluation included.

Main Results:

• Primary outcome data collection at 18 months post-randomisation.
• Secondary outcomes including instability, health utility, and adverse events collected up to 24 months.
• Analysis will be intention-to-treat.

Conclusions:

• The REPPORT trial will provide crucial evidence on the optimal management strategy for recurrent patellar dislocation.
• Findings will inform clinical decision-making and potentially guide future treatment guidelines.
• Results will be disseminated through publications, conferences, and online channels.