The Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, presents a report according to which the chances of revision and conversion are higher among people who received Patellofemoral arthroplasty (PFA) than total knee arthroplasty (TKA). To treat the last stage, isolated patellofemoral arthritis (PFOA), TKA and PFA are the accepted therapies but with a different rate of re-operations and complications.

Therefore, a systematic review was conducted by following the PRISMA guidelines to evaluate the prevalence of re-operation between PFA and TKA used to manage isolated PFOA. Embase, PubMed, NHS Economic Evaluation Database, Health Technology Assessment Database, Cochrane library including Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Cochrane Methodology Register were searched to obtain the data. Potential articles were screened by conducting the meta-analysis with at least one-year follow-up comprised with detailed reasons for re-operation. All the re-operations went through data extraction and interpretation. Survival of the implant and return to the operating room (OR) for any reason were considered as primary and secondary outcomes, respectively.

The PFA and TKA group showed 6.34 and 0.11 weighted rate of either conversion or revision arthroplasty. Further, the weighted rate of return to the OR and manipulation under anaesthesia (MUA) noticed for soft and bony tissue procedures was (0.79 and 1.06) and (1.23 and 0.32), respectively. These findings reflect that TKA therapy associated with fewer chances to return to the operating room as compared to the PFA.