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Paramedic patella reduction guideline works in Victoria

Paramedic Patella Reduction — Ambulance Victoria CPG Evaluation
Prehospital Emergency Care · Added 21 April 2026

Retrospective study (n=1,210) evaluating whether Ambulance Victoria's Nov 2022 CPG for paramedic patella reduction changed practice — 91.8% reduction success rate, transport rate dropped 38.4%, case duration cut by ~33 minutes, and IV cannula use down 17.3%, with no change in effective analgesia rates.

Study type

Cohort

Design

Retrospective interrupted time series using Ambulance Victoria electronic patient care data

Participants

1,210 patients with acute patella dislocation (622 pre-, 588 post-guideline)

Main finding

No significant step change in effective analgesia (0.8%, 95%CI -6.6% to 8.1%; p=0.832); significant reductions in IV access (-17.3%), transport rate (-38.4%) and case duration (~33 minutes shorter)

Caveat

Retrospective design; analgesia unchanged, and longer-term functional outcomes and safety not assessed

Bottom line

Supports current practice

Learning goal

Strengthen my judgement on when prehospital patella reduction can avoid transport while maintaining effective analgesia.

More

• Topic: Trauma
• Daily scan: 21 April 2026

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