OSTEOARTHRITIS: A KNEE TO KNOW
Study Casts Doubt On Knee Surgery
A second major study has found that arthroscopic surgery did no better than medication and physical therapy in treating osteoarthritis of the knee. Just under one million Americans had arthroscopic knee surgery in 2006, according to the latest government figures. About a third were performed to alleviate the pain and stiffness of osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis caused by the breakdown of cartilage in the joints.
Researchers at the University of Western Ontario published their findings in a recent issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. They studied 178 patients-all received physical therapy and medical treatment, such as anti-inflammatory drugs and injections to reduce pain. But half also underwent surgery. Those who also had surgery showed better improvement initially-but two years later, researchers could find no significant difference between the two groups of patients.
An editorial accompanying the article suggested, however, that arthroscopic surgery may be effective for those arthritis sufferers who also have other knee problems that contribute to their pain and discomfort.