Dr. Okuno presented on “The Safety and Efficacy of Catheter-Based Treatment for Patellar Tendinopathy” at the 98th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association.

Dr. Yuji Okuno, Chief Director, presented his seven-year study on catheter embolization of abnormal blood vessels for patellar tendinopathy (jumper’s knee) at the 98th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association.

The study involved 89 patients with patellar tendinopathy who had not improved with conventional treatments such as rehabilitation, steroid injections, hyaluronic acid injections, or PRP therapy. Many of the patients were athletes engaged in sports like soccer, basketball, and track and field. The presentation highlighted numerous cases in which athletes successfully returned to competition within a few months following the catheter-based treatment.

Although some patients experienced mild symptoms such as temporary bruising or pain, there were no serious complications reported. During a follow-up period of up to seven years, no major adverse events such as patellar tendon rupture occurred.

These results indicate that catheter-based treatment for patellar tendinopathy is a safe and effective option. It is expected to become a fundamental treatment alternative for patients who do not respond to conventional therapies.