What do systematic reviews say?

Surgical vs non‐surgical treatment

It is very uncertain whether surgical changes adverse effects of treatment Overall incidence of complications compared with non‐surgical treatment (very low certainty).

• Surgical versus non‐surgical interventions for treating patellar dislocation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 2.21 [0.73, 6.66]
  2 studies · 144 participants
  Very low

Intervention not reported

• Aspiration of the elbow joint for treating radial head fractures 2014 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 108 participants
  GRADE not reported

Intervention not reported

• Aspiration of the elbow joint for treating radial head fractures 2014 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 80 participants
  GRADE not reported

Mosaicplasty vs microfracture

It is very uncertain whether mosaicplasty changes failure of treatment and adverse effects: long‐term Participants… compared with microfracture (very low certainty).

• Surgical interventions (microfracture, drilling, mosaicplasty, and allograft transplantation) for treating isolated… 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.47 [0.24, 0.9]
  3 studies · 129 participants
  Very low