2026 SICOT Annual Meeting: Robot assisted medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction for the treatment of recurrent patellar dislocation: A randomized controlled trial

A randomized controlled trial evaluated robot-assisted vs traditional manual medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction in patients with recurrent patellar dislocation. Although the study reports 20 enrolled patients, it also states that 42 patients were allocated to each group, creating an inconsistency in the reported sample size. Patients received robot-assisted MPFL reconstruction or manual-assisted MPFL reconstruction. Outcomes included operative time, fluoroscopy use, hospital stay, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), bisect offset index, and femoral tunnel distance from the Schöttle point. Overall, robot-assisted reconstruction required fewer fluoroscopy attempts, achieved more accurate femoral tunnel placement, and produced higher postoperative IKDC and KOOS scores. These findings suggest that robotic assistance may improve technical accuracy, reduce radiation exposure, and enhance early clinical outcomes following MPFL reconstruction.