Three RCTs (302 knees) were included.
Anterior knee pain (2 RCTs).
The studies had contradictory findings. One RCT found higher rates of anterior knee pain with no resurfacing than with resurfacing (24% versus 0%), whereas the other study found similar rates of pain in both groups (around 18%). There was statistically significant heterogeneity, therefore the 2 studies were not pooled.
Reoperation for patellofemeral problem (3 RCTs).
Reoperation for patellofemoral problems was more likely in the unresurfaced group than in the resurfaced group; the pooled OR was 0.11 (95% CI: 0.02, 0.48, P=0.003). The overall rates for reoperation were 0.7% and 11% in the surfaced and unresurfaced groups, respectively. There was no evidence of statistically significant heterogeneity.
Revision (1 RCT).
The RCT found one revision in the resurfaced group and three in the unresurfaced group. There was no statistically significant difference.