“Keyhole” arthroscopic surgery should rarely be used to repair arthritic knee joints, a panel of international experts says in new clinical guidelines.
Clinical trials have shown that keyhole surgery doesn’t help people suffering from arthritis of the knees any more than mild painkillers, physical therapy or weight loss, said lead author Dr. Reed Siemieniuk. He is a health researcher with McMaster University in Toronto, Canada.
“You can make a pretty strong statement saying that from a long-term perspective, it really doesn’t help at all,” Siemieniuk said. “If they knew all the evidence, almost nobody would choose to have this surgery.”
Keyhole surgery is one of the most common surgical procedures in the world, with more than 2 million performed each year, Siemieniuk said. The United States alone spends about $3 billion a year on the procedure.
The new guidelines — published online May 10 in the BMJ — were issued as part of the journal’s initiative to provide up-to-date recommendations based on the latest evidence. The guidelines make a strong recommendation against arthroscopy for nearly all cases of degenerative knee disease.
This includes osteoarthritis as well as tears of the meniscus, the padding between the two leg bones in the knee, Siemieniuk said.
“With age and with use, the grinding of the two bones together can break down that padding,” he said. “It’s very common to see little rips and tears in that padding in patients with arthritis.”
Siemieniuk and his colleagues noted that a trial published in 2016 showed that surgery was no better than exercise therapy in patients with a meniscus tear.
Despite this and other medical evidence, most guidelines still recommend keyhole surgery for people with meniscus tears, sudden onset of symptoms like pain or swelling, or mild to moderate difficulties with knee movement.
Arthroscopic surgery relies on small incisions through which a tiny camera and miniature instruments are inserted. Doctors can remove or repair damaged tissue without having to cut the knee open.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons currently advises against performing arthroscopic surgery in patients with full-fledged knee osteoarthritis, said Dr. Kevin Shea, an academy spokesman.
“Most orthopedic surgeons have dramatically reduced arthroscopic surgery in patients with degenerative arthritis,” Shea said. “Most I know have abandoned it over the last 10 to 15 years.”
However, arthroscopic surgery still can help people with joint movement problems caused by meniscus tears who have not developed moderate or severe knee osteoarthritis, said Shea.
Those patients should be treated first with mild painkillers and exercise therapy, but keyhole surgery should remain an option for them, he added. Shea is a professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of Connecticut.
“Not that long ago, I operated on a 67-year-old retired schoolteacher who’s an avid skier,” Shea said. “She had no arthritis in her knee but a huge meniscus tear that kept locking, catching and popping. Not offering treatment to her would not have been fair.”
Under the BMJ guidelines, patients with meniscus tears should be treated with painkillers and physical therapy, as well as weight loss if they are overweight, Siemieniuk said. Knee replacement surgery is the last treatment option, done once degeneration has progressed to the point where all other therapies don’t work.
There is a financial incentive for doctors and hospitals to perform unnecessary keyhole surgeries, but Siemieniuk said these surgeries also might be prompted by the desire to treat a painful medical condition.
“It’s hard to take away one of the options from people when chronic knee pain and arthritis can be very debilitating,” he said. “And there’s an expectation from patients that by the time they see a surgeon, the surgeon is going to have something to be able to offer them.”
Inertia might also play a role. “It’s a lot easier to introduce a new treatment into clinical care than to de-implement one that we later find out doesn’t work,” Siemieniuk said. “That’s what we’re seeing here.”
Keyhole surgery has its downsides. Recovery can last anywhere from 3 days to 6 weeks, Siemieniuk said, and there is a risk of blood clots or infection in the knee.
Patients should go through a shared decision-making process with their surgeon, questioning whether this surgery would truly help them, he said.
The surgery still can be useful to fix torn ligaments or repair damage caused by severe trauma, Siemieniuk said. But in most cases, he said, given the evidence, insurers “may choose not to fund it, which I think would be appropriate.”
Professional Scope of Practice *
The information herein on "Guidelines Oppose Most & Keyhole Knee Surgeries" is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional.
Blog Information & Scope Discussions
Our information scope is limited to Chiropractic, musculoskeletal, acupuncture, physical medicines, wellness, contributing etiological viscerosomatic disturbances within clinical presentations, associated somatovisceral reflex clinical dynamics, subluxation complexes, sensitive health issues, and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions.
We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.*
Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.
We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, or contact us at 915-850-0900.
We are here to help you and your family.
Blessings
Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN*, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*
email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com
Licensed as a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) in Texas & New Mexico*
Texas DC License # TX5807, New Mexico DC License # NM-DC2182
Licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN*) in Florida
Florida License RN License # RN9617241 (Control No. 3558029)
Compact Status: Multi-State License: Authorized to Practice in 40 States*
Presently Matriculated: ICHS: MSN* FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner Program)
Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN* CIFM*, IFMCP*, ATN*, CCST
My Digital Business Card
What are the treatment options for individuals dealing with foot overpronation when the foot and… Read More
Can individuals with nerve injuries incorporate non-surgical treatments to reduce pain sensations and restore motor… Read More
For individuals trying to retrain their body movements for back health improvement, what is the… Read More
Can individuals with body pain incorporate Pilates to reduce general aches and pains while strengthening… Read More
Sleep is vital at all ages, but what is the amount of sleep for older… Read More
Can individuals dealing with joint pain incorporate turmeric as part of their treatment to reduce… Read More