Data is starting to come out showing that knee surgeries may be ineffective:
One finds that surgery is no better than medication and physical therapy for relieving the pain and stiffness of moderate or severe arthritis. The other reveals that tears in knee cartilage — which often prompt such surgeries — are very common without causing symptoms.
The medical and patient community has been accepting an “operate first, ask questions later” mindset. Not helping is the fee-for-service payment system that encourages doctors to pursue more aggressive, and expensive, treatment options.
In our quick-fix society, patients want it done fast. Surgery tends to be the elixir to that need. Often times, patients don’t have the desire to undergo an extended course of physical therapy and rest.
Studies like these need to be better publicized, so the public can understand that not all surgery is effective, and indeed can lead to serious complications.
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- How to videotape surgeries with a camcorder
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No worries, this study is getting plenty of pick up in the health media and blogosphere.
Both studies have received plenty of traction. Many patients are bringing the NY Times article into the office with them. I dealt with a similar pattern after the first article was published a number of years ago.
As an orthopedist I can tell you that my personal experience mirrors that reflected in the conclusion of both studies. I stopped “scoping” knees for osteoarthritis years ago and I am hope that more members of the ortho community will read the study and alter their surgical indications accordingly.
It should be noted,however, that this study only concluded that an arthroscopy for osteoarthritis is useless… not arthroscopy for meniscal tears and mechanical knee pain from loose bodies, etc. The satisfaction/success rate of an arthroscopy in this situation remains very high.
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