Su X, et al. - This 5-year retrospective study offers information on the comparative efficacy of arthroscopic and conservative treatments in knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Despite having a greater ability to relieve symptoms at 1 and 2 years, arthroscopy afforded no benefit in decreasing or delaying arthroplasty surgery as compared with conservative treatment. Without elevating the risk of arthroplasty, arthroscopy can relieve symptoms up to 2 years, as suggested in this study.

Methods

• This study included patients diagnosed with Kellgren-Lawrence grade 2 to 4 KOA who underwent arthroscopic or conservative treatment from May 2005 to May 2012.
• Researchers collected the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) total score 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years after the initial treatment and recorded the number of patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty (TKA) at every time point.

Results

• This analysis included a total of 382 patients (168 in the conservative group and 214 in the arthroscopy group).
• TKA was ultimately performed, 5 years after the initial treatment, in 32 of the 214 patients who underwent arthroscopy (15.0%) compared with 30 of the 168 patients in the conservative treatment group (17.9%), with no statistically significant difference between groups (P=.20).
• Findings demonstrated that in the arthroscopy group vs in the conservative group, the WOMAC score was significantly lower at year 1 (24.33 ± 21.56 vs 36.43 ± 16.22, respectively) and year 2 (26.31 ± 17.84 vs 35.41 ± 19.21, respectively).
• Data did not report significant between-group differences at years 3, 4, and 5.