OBJECTIVE: To investigate the risk and determinants of knee replacement (KR) in subjects with or at risk of osteoarthritis (OA) and a history of arthroscopy.
METHODS: Data from the osteoarthritis initiative cohort were analyzed (n = 4796, up to the seventh year of follow-up). Cox proportional hazard analysis was used to determine the risk of KR according to the history of arthroscopy. A multivariable model was used to determine the risk factors for KR among subjects with a history of arthroscopy (n = 842), including age, gender, body mass index, history of knee injury, and baseline physical activity scale for the elderly, Western Ontario and McMaster (WOMAC) total score, and radiographic Kellgren and Lawrence (KL) score.
RESULTS: History of arthroscopy was associated with risk of KR after adjustments for the mentioned determinants of OA (HR: 1.90 (1.49-2.44); P value <0.001). Female gender (HR: 1.86 (1.30-2.68); P value <0.001), higher WOMAC (HR: 1.02 (1.01-1.03); P value <0.001), and KL score (HR: 2.64 (2.08-3.35); P value <0.001) increased the risk of KR among subjects with a history of arthroscopy. Subjects with a history of knee injury had 50 % lower risk of KR (HR: 0.50 (0.35-0.72); P value <0.001) after arthroscopy.
CONCLUSION: Female gender, more clinical symptoms and radiographic signs of OA, was associated with higher risk of future KR in subjects with a history of arthroscopy. Subjects with arthroscopy in the setting of concomitant knee injury were 50 % less likely to undergo KR compared to subjects who underwent arthroscopy without a history of concomitant knee injury.
BACKGROUND: Multiple clinical trials have shown that arthroscopy for knee osteoarthritis is not efficacious. It is unclear how these studies have affected orthopaedic practice in the USA.
QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: We questioned whether, in the Veterans Health Administration system, rates of knee arthroscopy in patients with osteoarthritis have changed after publication of the initial clinical trial by Moseley et al. in 2002, and whether rates of arthroplasty within 2 years of arthroscopy have changed during the same period.
METHODS: Patients 50 years and older with knee osteoarthritis who underwent arthroscopy between 1998 and 2010 were retrospectively identified and an annual arthroscopy rate was calculated from 1998 through 2002 and from 2006 through 2010. Patients who underwent knee arthroplasty within 2 years of arthroscopy during each period were identified, and a 2-year conversion to arthroplasty rate was calculated.
RESULTS: Between 1998 and 2002, the annual arthroscopy rate decreased from 4% to 3%. Of these arthroscopies, 4% were converted to arthroplasty within 2 years. Between 2006 and 2010, the annual arthroscopy rate increased from 3% to 4%. Of these arthroscopies, 5% were converted to arthroplasty within 2 years.
CONCLUSIONS: Rates of arthroscopy in patients with knee osteoarthritis and conversion to arthroplasty within 2 years have not decreased with time. It may be that evidence alone is not sufficient to alter practice patterns or that arthroscopy rates for arthritis for patients in the Veterans Health Administration system were already so low that the results of the initial clinical trial had no substantial effect.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, Retrospective cohort study.
Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is a main cause of disability in the elderly population. Although there are a number of treatments that can help ease symptoms, there is, as yet, no cure. The objective of this study was to evaluate the preliminary outcome of a multidisciplinary management option based on studies of medial abrasion syndrome (MAS) as a cause of knee OA. Methods: Over a period of one year 520 patients were enrolled into this study, between them having 862 knees at different stages of OA. There were 127 males (24.4%) and 393 females (75.6%). The mean age of these patients was 65 years (SD:10). An integrated protocol for the treatment of knee OA, based on the findings of research into MAS, which we call the ``knee health promotion option (KHPO){''}, was implemented for these patients. For this preliminary report, subjective satisfaction was assessed after follow-up at one year. Results: After one year, 511 patients with 844 affected knees (97.9%) remained enrolled in the study. The mean age of these patients at the time of surgery was 64 years (SD: 10). Subjective assessment was satisfactory in 794 (94.1%) knees. Six-hundred-and-fifty-seven knees (77.8%) of 379 patients received an arthroscopic cartilage regeneration facilitating procedure (ACRFP), 71 knees (8.4%) of 70 patients received unicompartmental arthroplasty (UKA), and 116 knees (13.8%) of 116 patients received total knee arthroplasty (TKA). For the arthroplasty group, the subjective assessment was satisfactory in 187 knees (100%). For the ACRFP group, the subjective assessment was satisfactory in 607 knees (92.4%). In the ACRFP group, the satisfactory rate was 91.2% for 228 stage II knees, 93.6% for 327 stage III knees, and 91.2% for 102 stage IV knees. Three knees in the stage IV group had converted to arthroplasy after the minimum follow-up of one year. Conclusions: According to this preliminary report, KHPO targeting on the MAS as a cause of knee OA could provide patients with a high degree of treatment satisfaction. Further studies are mandatory to investigate their long-term outcomes.
Journal»Arthroscopy : the journal of arthroscopic & related surgery : official publication of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the International Arthroscopy Association
PURPOSE: To evaluate the long-term functional results of arthroscopic abrasion arthroplasty for the treatment of full-thickness cartilage lesions of the medial femoral condyle.
METHODS: Between 1990 and 1996, 75 consecutive patients with isolated chondral lesions of the medial femoral condyle were treated with arthroscopic chondral abrasion. A retrospective analysis of the clinical results of this cohort was performed. The patients were evaluated according to the Knee Society Score questionnaire preoperatively, at 10 years postoperatively, and at final long-term follow-up at a mean of 20 years. At final follow-up, they were also assessed according to the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index. Patients were divided according to the lesion size and by age, and the Kaplan-Meier survivorship function (with second operation taken as an endpoint) for the various groups was calculated.
RESULTS: At a mean of final follow-up of 20 years (range, 16.94 to 23.94 years), a positive functional outcome (Knee Society Score ≥70 points or no reoperation) was recorded in 67.9% of the patients. Twenty-year survivorship in this cohort was 71.4% (95% confidence interval, 0.5690 to 0.8590). The survivorship was 89.5% for patients younger than 50 years and 55.7% for patients aged 50 years or older. The functional results for patients with lesions smaller than 4 cm(2) were significantly better than those for patients with lesions of 4 cm(2) or greater (P = .031). There were no statistical differences between patients with and without associated lesions at the time of surgery.
CONCLUSIONS: Our hypothesis that there would be survivorship greater than 86% was disproved. However, arthroscopic abrasion arthroplasty can be a valid treatment for medial femoral condylar full-thickness defects of the knee, even in the long-term, particularly for younger patients and those with smaller lesions.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, therapeutic case series.
A private payer database was used to examine the incidence and rates of knee arthroscopy in patients less than 65 years of age and the subsequent risk of knee arthroplasty. Time to event analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method; also, Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the relative risk of subsequent knee arthroplasty for arthroscopic patients. Overall, 247,034 knee arthroscopies, done for injury or arthropathy, were identified between 2004 and 2009. Within 1-year of arthroscopy, 2.2% of arthropathy patients and 0.9% of injury patients underwent a knee arthroplasty. These increased to 5.2% and 2.4% at 5-years, respectively. The risk of arthroplasty following arthroscopy increased significantly with age. Further study is warranted to examine the benefit of arthroscopy in younger patients with OA.
We tried to reduce our rate of conversion from index knee arthroscopy to total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for degenerative pathology (primarily meniscal) in the setting of coexisting arthritis in patients 50 years or older. We hypothesized that, by using a 2-surgeon independent evaluation method, we could reduce the rate to less than 10% by 3-year follow-up. Forty-two consecutive patients were initially evaluated by the knee replacement surgeon to determine if they were TKA candidates. They were then independently evaluated by another surgeon regarding the need for TKA and the possibility of arthroscopic debridement. The data showed a tendency: The under-10% target rate was nearly reached in patients younger than 65 years (12%; 2/17) but not in patients older than 65 years (36%; 9/25). The overall rate of conversion to TKA was 26%. The 2 main groups (arthroscopy only, arthroscopy-plus-TKA) did not differ in all measured characteristics. Failure of our method to achieve better outcomes demonstrates that conventional criteria are poor in predicting which patients with meniscal pathology, which is believed to be relatively more symptomatic than coexisting arthritis, should avoid arthroscopy and go straight to TKA.
BACKGROUND: Knee arthroscopy is a common procedure in orthopaedic surgery. In recent times the efficacy of this procedure has been questioned with a number of randomized controlled trials demonstrating a lack of effect in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Consequently, a number of trend studies have been conducted, exploring rates of knee arthroscopy and subsequent conversion to Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) with varying results. Progression to TKA is seen as an indicator of lack of effect of primary knee arthroscopy. The aim of this paper is to measure overall rates of knee arthroscopy and the proportion of these patients that undergo subsequent total knee arthroplasty (TKA) within 24 months, and to measure trends over time in an Australian population.
METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all adults undergoing a knee arthroscopy and TKA in all hospitals in New South Wales (NSW), Australia between 2000 and 2008. Datasets obtained from the Centre for Health Record Linkage (CHeReL) were analysed using negative binomial regression. Admission rates for knee arthroscopy were determined by year, age, gender and hospital status (public versus private) and readmission for TKA within 24 months was calculated.
RESULTS: There was no significant change in the overall rate of knee arthroscopy between 2000 and 2008 (-0.68%, 95% CI: -2.80 to 1.49). The rates declined in public hospitals (-1.25%, 95% CI: -2.39 to -0.10) and remained relatively steady in private hospitals (0.42%, 95% CI: -1.43 to 0.60). The proportion of patients 65 years or over undergoing TKA within 24 months of knee arthroscopy was 21.5%. After adjusting for age and gender, there was a significant decline in rates of TKA within 24 months of knee arthroscopy for all patients (-1.70%, 95% CI:-3.13 to -0.24), patients admitted to private hospitals (-2.65%, 95% CI: -4.06 to -1.23) and patients aged ≥65 years (-3.12%, 95% CI: -5.02 to -1.18).
CONCLUSIONS: Rates of knee arthroscopy are not increasing, and the proportion of patients requiring a TKA within 24 months of a knee replacement is decreasing in the age group most likely to have degenerative changes in the knee.
Journal»Arthroscopy : the journal of arthroscopic & related surgery : official publication of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the International Arthroscopy Association
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to document 10-year outcomes and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) rate after arthroscopic treatment of knee osteoarthritis and compare survivorship of patients with Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grade 3 and 4 knees.
METHODS: Eighty-one knees in 73 patients (49 male, 32 female; mean age, 58 years; range, 37 to 79 years) that underwent an arthroscopic regimen for knee osteoarthritis between August 2000 and November 2001 were included in this institutional review board-approved study. The inclusion criterion was Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grade 3 or 4 radiographic changes. A TKA had been recommended to all patients; however, none wished to undergo arthroplasty. All patients underwent arthroscopic treatment. Endpoint was defined as TKA for survivorship analysis. Outcomes were collected at a minimum follow-up of 10 years (Lysholm, Tegner, patient satisfaction, and WOMAC scores).
RESULTS: Of 81 knees, 7 were in patients who died and 2 in patients who refused to participate, leaving 72 knees available for follow-up. Follow-up was obtained for 95% of patients (n = 69). Forty-three knees (62%) were converted to TKA at a mean of 4.4 years (range 1.0 to 9.6) after index arthroscopy. Mean survival time was 6.8 years (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.9 to 7.6 years). Survivorship was 60% at 5 years and 40% at 10 years. Patients with KL grade 4 osteoarthritis were 5.3 times more likely to fail (95% CI, 1.3 to 23.4) than those with KL grade 3 (P = .012). Mean survival time for patients with KL grade 4 was 5.7 years (95% CI, 4.5 to 6.9), and mean survival time for those with KL grade 3 was 7.5 years (95% CI, 6.2 to 8.7) (P = .022). For 26 knees that did not undergo arthroplasty, the mean Lysholm score was 74 (95% CI, 67 to 80), the median Tegner activity scale score was 3 (range, 0 to 8), the median patient satisfaction with outcome was 9 (range, 1 to 10), and the mean WOMAC score was 18.5 (95% CI, 13 to 24) at 10 years of follow-up.
CONCLUSIONS: The mean survival time after arthroscopic treatment of osteoarthritis with a defined protocol was 6.8 years. Forty percent delayed arthroplasty for a minimum of 10 years. Patients with KL grade 4 changes in their knee had a higher risk of conversion to arthroplasty and a significantly lower mean survival time.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective comparative study.
This study examined the incidence and rates of knee arthroscopy in patients older than 65 years and the risk of subsequent knee arthroplasty. Medicare claims data (1997-2006, 5% sample) were used to identify 78,137 knee arthroscopy patients. Performance of arthroscopy increased 56.1%. Prevalence increased 44.6% from 362.2 to 523.7 per 100,000 Medicare patients. The prevalence was greater for women and white patients. Prevalence of knee arthroscopy was greater in the South. Within 1 year after arthroscopy, 10.2% of arthropathy patients and 8.5% of injury patients underwent knee arthroplasty. A progressive increase was seen in the rates of use of knee arthroscopy in elderly Medicare patients for a 10-year period. A 10.2% failure rate 1 year after knee arthroscopy may be a reasonable benchmark against which performance of knee arthroscopy in patients older than 65 years can be measured.
Arthroscopy has been utilised in the management of knee osteoarthritis for over 70 years but in recent years there has been growing debate about the efficacy of such treatment. We reviewed data from a national register, the Scottish Arthroplasty Project. We analysed 8897 knee arthroscopies performed in patients aged over 60 in Scotland between 1997 and 2006. Marked regional differences were noted for the rate of arthroscopy, with an upper rate of 230 arthroscopies per 100,000 age corrected population and a low of 80 per 100,000. No apparent reasons could be identified for this disparity. Regions with the highest rate of arthroscopy also had the highest rate of conversion to knee arthroplasty within 2 years, indicating a high level of ineffective and inappropriate arthroscopic surgery being performed in many areas of Scotland.
To investigate the risk and determinants of knee replacement (KR) in subjects with or at risk of osteoarthritis (OA) and a history of arthroscopy.
METHODS:
Data from the osteoarthritis initiative cohort were analyzed (n = 4796, up to the seventh year of follow-up). Cox proportional hazard analysis was used to determine the risk of KR according to the history of arthroscopy. A multivariable model was used to determine the risk factors for KR among subjects with a history of arthroscopy (n = 842), including age, gender, body mass index, history of knee injury, and baseline physical activity scale for the elderly, Western Ontario and McMaster (WOMAC) total score, and radiographic Kellgren and Lawrence (KL) score.
RESULTS:
History of arthroscopy was associated with risk of KR after adjustments for the mentioned determinants of OA (HR: 1.90 (1.49-2.44); P value <0.001). Female gender (HR: 1.86 (1.30-2.68); P value <0.001), higher WOMAC (HR: 1.02 (1.01-1.03); P value <0.001), and KL score (HR: 2.64 (2.08-3.35); P value <0.001) increased the risk of KR among subjects with a history of arthroscopy. Subjects with a history of knee injury had 50 % lower risk of KR (HR: 0.50 (0.35-0.72); P value <0.001) after arthroscopy.
CONCLUSION:
Female gender, more clinical symptoms and radiographic signs of OA, was associated with higher risk of future KR in subjects with a history of arthroscopy. Subjects with arthroscopy in the setting of concomitant knee injury were 50 % less likely to undergo KR compared to subjects who underwent arthroscopy without a history of concomitant knee injury.
