EON

New York – Conservative therapies may be just as effective as knee surgery in helping oseteoarthritis patients, according to a new Canadian study.

Arthroscopic knee surgery is a common treatment for people suffering from the most prevalent form of arthritis, Osteoarthritis. The most recent studies estimate that about 27 million Americans have the disease. Patients who suffer from the disease have pain and stiffness in weight bearing joints in the hips, knees, back and feet.

During surgery, a surgeon cuts an incision in the knee and then inserts a small camera. Debris is then flushed off of the knee. Sometimes rough areas of cartilage are shaved. It usually takes 4 to 6 weeks for the knee to recover. The operation costs about $5000.

The University of Western Ontario, Canada studied 178 patients for two years to discover if Arthroscopic knee surgery is more effective than other arthritis treatments.

Researchers found no significant difference between the surgery group and the therapy group. Though the surgery group showed greater improvement in the first 3 months, symptoms returned after six months.

A study made by the Houston Veterans Affairs Medical Center in 2002 resulted in similar findings. That study found no difference between patients who had the surgery and patients who were merely told they had the surgery. Many doctors and researchers did not believe the Houston study because they questioned its methods. But in 2003 Medicare stopped paying for the operation.

Non-surgical treatments for osteoarthritis include exercise, injected painkillers and physiotherapy. Some doctors also recommend alternative treatments such as herbal supplements and acupuncture.