The British Medical Journal recommends against the use of arthroscopic surgery for patients with degenerative knee disease and that arthroscopy was no better than exercise therapy.
Arthroscopic surgery for degenerative knee arthritis and meniscal tears: a clinical practice guideline
BMJ 2017; 357 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.j1982 (Published 10 May 2017)Cite this as: BMJ 2017;357:j1982
What you need to know
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We make a strong recommendation against the use of arthroscopy in nearly all patients with degenerative knee disease, based on linked systematic reviews; further research is unlikely to alter this recommendation
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This recommendation applies to patients with or without imaging evidence of osteoarthritis, mechanical symptoms, or sudden symptom onset
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Healthcare administrators and funders may use the number of arthroscopies performed in patients with degenerative knee disease as an indicator of quality care.
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Knee arthroscopy is the most common orthopaedic procedure in countries with available data
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This Rapid Recommendation package was triggered by a randomised controlled trial published in The BMJ in June 2016 which found that, among patients with a degenerative medial meniscus tear, knee arthroscopy was no better than exercise therapy