Arthroscopic surgery for knee osteoarthritis? Just say no
For most patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, arthroscopic surgery offers little benefit.
CAVEATS: Large meniscal tears: An exception to the rule
These findings do not necessarily apply to patients with evidence of large meniscal tears. This subset of knee OA patients may benefit from surgical management.
CHALLENGES TO IMPLEMENTATION: What to say to patients seeking a referral
Patients may have read about arthroscopic knee surgery or know someone who underwent the procedure and come to you asking for a referral to an orthopedic surgeon. In such a case, we suggest a straightforward approach.
Discuss arthroscopic surgery’s proven lack of benefit and offer equally effective conservative therapies. For patients who may be eligible for a total knee replacement, a referral to an orthopedic surgeon for evaluation is appropriate.
Acknowledgements
The PURLs Surveillance System is supported in part by Grant Number UL1RR024999 from the National Center for Research Resources, a Clinical Translational Science Award to the University of Chicago. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Center for Research Resources or the National Institutes of Health.
PURLs methodology
This study was selected and evaluated using FPIN’s Priority Updates from the Research Literature (PURL) Surveillance System methodology. The criteria and findings leading to the selection of this study as a PURL can be accessed at www.jfponline.com/purls.
