Cons of some types of knee surgery outweigh the pros for older people claims new review
The benefits of knee surgery for middle-aged or older people with knee pain and degenerative disease has been called into question by research in the British Medical Journal.
Experts looked at data from 18 studies to determine the advantages and disadvantages of arthroscopic knee surgery involving partial meniscectomy, debridement or both.
A small difference was seen in favour of interventions including arthroscopic surgery compared with control treatments for pain. But these benefits were described as being small and inconsequential, with any improvements in pain levels seen after six months failing to persist after two-years.
And the potential harms caused by this type of surgery were potentially serious including an increased risk of deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, infection and death.
“These findings do not support the practice of arthroscopic surgery for middle-aged or older patients with knee pain with or without signs of osteoarthritis,” the researchers say.
About 150,000 middle-aged and older adults with persistent knee pain have knee arthroscopy in the UK each year.
“Arthroscopic surgery for people with knee osteoarthritis has long been discredited as an effective treatment by a series of research studies, yet it is still performed in the UK,” explains a spokeswoman for Arthritis Research UK. “Guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence make it clear that this procedure should only be used to treat knee osteoarthritis in patients with a history of their knee locking or giving way.
“Hopefully this new evidence will finally put the matter to bed. People with knee osteoarthritis would benefit more from exercising to strengthen the quadriceps muscle that supports the knee joint, and to lose weight if they are too heavy.”
Subscribe to Arthritis Digest, the UK’s fastest growing arthritis magazine for all the latest arthritis news, reviews and celebrity interviews. You’ll know what your doctor is talking about, what new drugs are in the pipeline and be up to date on helpful products. Hard copy and digital versions both available. Click here for more information.
Image credit: winnifredxoxo
