Knee Surgery May Not Be Helpful

New findings show that arthroscopic lavage or debridement did not improve outcomes in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, as reported in the New England Journal of Medicine. A total of 180 patients were randomized to arthroscopic debridement, arthroscopic lavage, or placebo surgery. Neither debridement nor lavage was linked to less pain or better function at 1 year or 2 years, compared with placebo surgery.