OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of arthroscopic debridement for knee osteoarthritis.

METHODSThe medical records of 56 patients (56 knees) who underwent arthroscopic debridement procedures for knee osteoarthritis from 2000 to 2004 were reviewed. Among the patients, 15 patients were male and 41 patients were female,ranged in age from 39 to 76 years, with an average of (55.23 +/- 10.26) years. The duration of the disease ranged from 1 to 25 months, with an average of 5.75 months. The chief symptoms were pain, swelling and dysfunction of the knees. According to Kellgren-Lawrence classification grade, 17 patients were grade I ,39 patients were grade II. Lysholm score was used to evaluate the postoperative effects, and the statistics analysis was carried out with SPSS 13.0.

RESULTSAll the patients were followed up more than 5 years. Three patients underwent total knee replacement respectively at 5.5, 7.8 and 8.3 years after the arthroscopic debridement, the average Lysholm score of other 53 patients increased from (42.40 +/- 6.78) preoperatively to (75.53 +/- 8.23) postoperatively. There were significant difference between preoperative score and postoperative score (t = -22.62, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe good midterm follow-up results of arthroscopic debridement for knee osteoarthritis are related to the appropriate indications selections, limited debridement, good patient education, systemic rehabilitation and chondroprotective agents.