Kneecap study: does surgery keep young athletes stable?
NCT ID NCT02333825
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study looks at whether surgery to repair a ligament in the knee (MPFL) is better than non-surgical care for preventing repeat kneecap dislocations in people aged 25 and younger who have dislocated their kneecap once. About 240 participants will be randomly assigned to surgery or non-surgical treatment and followed for up to 5 years. The goal is to find the best way to keep the kneecap stable and reduce future problems.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 240 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Start date
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Dec 2015
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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8 to 25 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients must be age 25 or younger * Patients must be first-time dislocators, meaning have had only one episode of patellar instability, during which they dislocated their patella (kneecap) Exclusion Criteria: * Patients with more than one episode of patellofemoral instability * Patients who have had prior patellofemoral surgery on the knee of interest * Patients with large cartilage tears in the knee. These patients will undergo stabilization of the patellofemoral joint (MPFL reconstruction) as per standard of care, and will not be included in the study.
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How to take part
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The official record
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