title: Patellar denervation with electrocautery in total knee arthroplasty without patellar resurfacing: a meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The impact of patellar denervation with electrocautery in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) on post-operative outcomes has been under debate. This study aims to conduct a meta-analysis and systematic review to compare the benefits and risks of circumpatellar electrocautery with those of non-electrocautery in primary TKAs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Comparative and randomized clinical studies were identified by conducting an electronic search of articles dated up to September 2012 in PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and the Cochrane databases. Six studies that focus on a total of 849 knees were analysed. A random-effects model was conducted using the inverse-variance method for continuous variables and the Mantel-Haenszel method for dichotomous variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference in the incidence of anterior knee pain between the electrocautery and non-electrocautery groups. In term of patellar score and Knee Society Score, circumpatellar electrocautery improved clinical outcomes compared with non-electrocautery in TKAs. The statistical differences were in favour of the electrocautery group but have minimal clinical significance. In addition, the overall complications indicate no statistical significance between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows no strong evidence either for or against electrocautery compared with non-electrocautery in TKAs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Therapeutic study (systematic review and meta-analysis), Level III.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China, dr_tao.cheng@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Yongyuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Sifeng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Desheng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xianlong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; D003714:Denervation; D004564:Electrocoagulation; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000294:innervation / Q000601:surgery; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000601:surgery; D010329:Patella / Q000294:innervation / Q000601:surgery*; D018570:Risk Assessment