Arthritic knees remain painful after arthroscop...(tments produce similar results in pain a...),Health

Only about half of the eligible patients agreed to participate in this study, the reviewers noted, and such self-selection reduces the relevance of the study to the general population. Those who participated were more likely to expect benefits from the treatment, which might have contributed to the positive results among the placebo group.

The other two studies produced low-quality evidence, according to the review, because there were fewer than 50 patients in each treatment group and the studies employed less reliable research methods.

Possible side effects of arthroscopic surgery include a small risk of infection and blood clots. Moreover, the procedure does not stop the progression of osteoarthritis. Symptoms of the disease are likely to return over time and surgical realignment or replacement of the joint could ultimately be necessary.

At this time, clinicians must make decisions regarding arthroscopic debridement on a case-by-case basis. There may be certain types of pathology or certain levels of disease severity for which AD can be more effective, says Laupattarakasem.

The only osteoarthritis patients I typically consider for arthroscopic surgery are those with mild to moderate disease and mechanical symptoms in the knee, agreed Scott Zashin, M.D., a rheumatologist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Such symptoms occur when fragments of cartilage interfere with the joint, causing a painful popping sensation or even locking or buckling of the knee.

Future research on this topic should analyze larger numbers of participants with various types of soft-tissue damage and levels of arthritis severity, the review authors say. Since performing sham surgery is subject to ethical questions, the reviewers recommend that future p
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