1.A Comparative Study of Osteoarthritis Knee Arthroscopy versus Intra-Articular Platelet Rich Plasma Injection: A Randomised Study
Singh N ; Trivedi V ; Kumar V ; Mishra NK ; Ahmad S ; Ayar SJ ; Kataria SS ; Kharbanda H
Malaysian Orthopaedic Journal 2022;16(No.2):31-40
Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) is estimated to be the
fourth leading cause of disability in the general population. It
probably is the most common disease of joints in adults
throughout the world. Knee OA accounts for more than 80%
of the disease’s total burden and as per an estimate in US
population, it affects at least 19% of adults aged 45 years and
older. This was a randomised study aimed to evaluate the
efficacy of platelet rich plasma (PRP) as a treatment
modality for osteoarthritis knee in comparison to
arthroscopic management.
Materials and methods: This study was conducted from
2018 to 2020 at a tertiary care teaching hospital, under
reference number ELMC&H/RCELL2019/39. A total of 70
patients of osteoarthritis knee with grade 2-3 according to the
Kellgren-Lawrence classification were selected using
computer generated random number among them 35 patients
were subjected to arthroscopy (Group II) and 35 were
administered platelet rich plasma injection (Group I) and
evaluated at 3, 6 and 9 months of follow-up. Both the groups
were assessed and scored with the Western Ontario and
McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) and
Visual Analog Pain Scale (VAS) to compare pre-treatment
and post-treatment values. As all the patients in the sample
was followed-up, resulting into no loss of subjects.
Result: Overall, percentage reduction in VAS score at 3
months, 6 months, and 9 months was 24.45±9.09,
18.45±11.60 and 8.29±14.19%, respectively in Group I and
18.96±5.85, 7.33±8.60 and 3.20±7.39%, respectively in
Group II. A statistically significant difference between two
groups was observed at 3- and 6-months’ time intervals only
(p<0.05). Overall, percentage reduction in WOMAC score at
3 months, 6 months and 9 months was 24.03±11.41,
17.45±9.24, and 9.49±9.80%, respectively in Group I and
11.27±5.73, 5.70±4.78, and -0.13±5.06%, respectively in
Group II. At all the three-time intervals, the difference
between two groups was significant statistically (p<0.001).
Conclusion: This study suggested that both PRP as well as
arthroscopy provide a reduction in WOMAC and VAS scores
for pain among cases of knee osteoarthritis. Most effective
reduction is observed at three months follow-up which
thereafter tends to diminish. Of the two modalities, PRP
seemed to have an edge over arthroscopic debridement,
however, this efficacy was more pronounced for KellgrenLawrence Grade 2 as compared to Grade 3.