An operation commonly performed on arthritis patients is ineffective at reducing joint pain or improving joint function, a new Canadian study suggests.
Researchers at the University of Western Ontario and Lawson Health Research Institute have found that arthroscopic knee surgery, whereby surgeons remove cartilage fragments and smooth joint surfaces, does little to improve osteoarthritis symptoms.
"For the group that we studied, it's a waste of time," researcher Dr. Bob Litchfield told CTV's Avis Favaro.
Arthroscopic surgery is a widely used treatment for osteoarthritis, which affects one in 10 Canadians, making it is the most common form of arthritis.
"We need to change practice," said Litchfield. "We need to be honest with our patients (and say), 'This operation is not going to help the condition you have.'"
Osteoarthritis is caused by the breakdown of cartilage in the joints, which causes pain and swelling.
The study included 178 men and women with an average age of 60. Patients were recruited from the London, Ont., area.
Each patient received physical therapy and anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Eighty-six patients also received arthroscopic surgery.
The researchers found that all of the study subjects had similar improvements in joint pain, stiffness and function.
However, the patients who had surgery did not experience any additional benefits.
The findings are published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Steve Studenny, who had the surgery to minimize knee pain, said the procedure helped at first, but over time, the pain returned.
"They did go in, clean it up -- it was good for about a year and then it started hurting again."
Still, doctors say the pain can be managed through exercise, regular physiotherapy and anti-inflammatory drugs.
"I think that's the answer," said Studenny.
"The work and the exercise is the answer, because there is no quick fix."
Researches conceded that the medical community dismissed similar findings in a 2002 study also published in the New England Journal.
However, the new study was conducted with members of the general population, while the 2002 study only included patients at a veterans' hospital who would have been much older and exclusively male.
Dr. Brian Feagan, another researcher, told CTV's Avis Favaro the study is good news because it means clinical practices can change for the better.
"We'll be able to treat patients more effectively based on these results, and we won't be subjecting them to a procedure that's not effective," he said.
The Canadian team also cautioned that their findings only apply to the effectiveness of arthroscopic surgery on the knee, not on other joints.
Arthroscopic knee surgery does lead to improvements in knee conditions other than osteoarthritis, they said.
With a report from CTV medical specialist Avis Favaro and senior producer Elizabeth St. Philip
