Surgery – Arthroscopic

Arthroscopic lavage

Arthroscopic involves the washing out or cleaning out the contents (blood, fluid, or loose debris) inside a joint space with aim of reversing the damage of early arthritis. This procedure does not improve pain or function for people suffering with osteoarthritis of the knee.

Partial meniscectomy

Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy is the most common orthopedic procedure used to relieve symptoms attributed to a meniscal tear (cartilage that provides a cushion between your thighbone ‘femur’ and shinbone tibia’) The aim is to remove torn meniscal fragments and trimming the cartilage back to a stable rim. Most treated meniscal tears are associated with degenerative knee disease such as osteoarthritis.

This treatment has been used for many years with doctors and patients reporting varying levels of improvement in pain and function. However, a 2013   study involving 145 middle aged or older patients with knee pain caused by non-traumatic degenerative disease such as osteoarthritis, involving sham surgery control groups. This study recorded marked improvement in the first 12 months in patients who received a partial menisectomy, but only a small inconsequential benefit 12 months after surgery.