International Patella Resurfacing Trends in Primary TKA: Where Are We Now?

This study aims to identify global patella resurfacing trends and serves as an update to a prior analysis of international patella resurfacing rates from 2004 – 2014. Data were abstracted from the annual reports of seven national joint registries from 2014 – 2022 and a literature search was conducted to report clinical outcomes from meta-analyses published in the last 10 years. Average resurfacing rates ranged from 3% (Sweden) to 93% (United States), with decreases in the US (96% to 89%) and Canada (60% to 50%) and the largest increase in Australia (59% to 78%). Canada, UK, and Australia reported decreased revision rates with resurfacing, while the US, Sweden, and Norway reported equivocal revision rates. Meta-analyses consistently reported decreased revision rates for resurfaced patellae. Patella resurfacing rates in TKA continue to be dynamic on an international stage. The continuous evolution of patella resurfacing rates and associated outcomes underscores the value of tracking arthroplasty registry data. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 35(3):117–121, 2026)

Key words: patella resurfacing, primary total knee arthroplasty, registry data, revision rates