Comparison of open surgery versus endoscopic-assisted release for gluteal muscle contracture: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Purpose This study aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the clinical outcomes of open surgery and arthroscopic release in gluteal muscle contracture (GMC). Methods Two independent reviewers YM and WL conducted a systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science to identify clinical trials that adhered to the PRISMA guidelines (Appendix A), spanning from inception to July 2023. Search items included ((“gluteal” OR “gluteus”) AND (“contracture” OR “fibrosis”)). Research comparing open surgery or arthroscopic release was included. Clinical outcomes were compared using the risk ratio for dichotomous variables and the standardized mean difference for continuous variables. A P value