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Editorial
. 2020 Nov;54(22):1312-1313.
doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2020-102981.

When taking a step back is a veritable leap forward. Reversing decades of arthroscopy for managing joint pain: five reasons that could explain declining rates of common arthroscopic surgeries

Clare L Ardern  1   2 , Teemu Paatela  3   4 , Ville Mattila  5 , Simo Taimela  3   6 , Teppo L N Järvinen  7   6
Affiliations
Editorial

When taking a step back is a veritable leap forward. Reversing decades of arthroscopy for managing joint pain: five reasons that could explain declining rates of common arthroscopic surgeries

Clare L Ardern et al. Br J Sports Med. 2020 Nov.
No abstract available

Keywords: arthroscopic surgery; evidence based; implementation; knowledge translation; overuse.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: TP and ST are employees of Terveystalo Healthcare Services, a private provider of healthcare services including arthroscopic surgery. TP also performs arthroscopic surgeries. VM, ST and TLJ have received academic research funding from the Sigrid Juselius Foundation, the State funding for university-level health research (Tampere and Helsinki University Hospitals), the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (KELA), and the Academy of Finland.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Annual number of arthroscopic partial meniscectomies for degenerative knee disease (A) and subacromial decompression of the shoulder (B) in the public (dotted line) and private (solid line) sector in Finland from 1997 to 2018.
Figure 2
Figure 2
One artist’s impression of contemporary orthopaedic surgeons walking away from eminence-based treatment and now performing fewer arthoscopic surgeries (as per the trial evidence).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

References

    1. Karelson MC, Jokihaara J, Launonen AP, et al. . Lower nationwide rates of arthroscopic procedures in 2016 compared with 1997 (634925 total arthroscopic procedures): has the tide turned? Br J Sports Med 2020. 10.1136/bjsports-2019-101844. [Epub ahead of print: 02 Apr 2020]. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Moseley JB, O'Malley K, Petersen NJ, et al. . A controlled trial of arthroscopic surgery for osteoarthritis of the knee. N Engl J Med 2002;347:81–8. 10.1056/NEJMoa013259 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Järvinen TLN, Guyatt GH. Arthroscopic surgery for knee pain: a highly questionable practice without supporting evidence of even moderate quality. Br J Sports Med 2016;50:1426–7. 10.1136/bmj.i3934rep - DOI - PubMed
    1. Prasad VK, Cifu AS. Ending medical reversal : improving outcomes, saving lives. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2015.
    1. Siemieniuk RAC, Harris IA, Agoritsas T, et al. . Arthroscopic surgery for degenerative knee arthritis and meniscal tears: a clinical practice guideline. Br J Sports Med 2018;52:313. 10.1136/bjsports-2017-j1982rep - DOI - PMC - PubMed

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