Arthroscopic Surgery for Knee Pain

EFFECTIVENESS: 2/5

According to a recent British Medical Journal article, “Most patients will experience an important improvement in pain and function without arthroscopy. However, in <15% of participants, arthroscopic surgery resulted in a small or very small improvement in pain or function at three months after surgery—this benefit was not sustained at one year.”

How successful the surgery will be depends on what the condition is that is being treated.  

More recent studies have cast serious doubt about whether arthroscopy actually helps patients with torn meniscus and osteoarthritis, a surgery performed ¾ of a million times in this country every year.  If your doctor is recommending this surgery, ask about those studies.

Source:

Siemieniuk Reed A C, Harris Ian A, Agoritsas Thomas, Poolman Rudolf W, Brignardello-Petersen Romina, Van de Velde Stijn et al. Arthroscopic surgery for degenerative knee arthritis and meniscal tears: a clinical practice guideline BMJ 2017; 357 :j

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/knee-arthroscopy-should-this-common-knee-surgery-be-performed-less-often-2020042019507

SELF CARE: 5/5

You won’t be doing this on your own!

COST 2/5

Costs for this surgery range from under $7000 to more than $23,000, depending in part on whether it is done in a hospital or free-standing surgical center. 

USEFULNESS (overall rating): 2/5

While one of the most common surgeries done in the U.S.A., recent studies have cast doubt on how effective it is for some conditions.  Exhaust other conservative options first and discuss this issue with your surgeon to be sure you are a good candidate