Knee arthroscopy, considered minimally invasive surgery, may lead to increased complications if performed within 9 months of a subsequent total knee arthroplasty (TKA), according to a study presented at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) 2021 Annual Meeting.
Using data collected from an insurance database, researchers from Washington University, George Washington University, and the Hospital for Special Surgery presented data on 8863 patients who underwent knee arthroscopy within 2 years of having undergone TKA
They found a statistically significant relationship between the timing of knee arthroscopy and complications following TKA. The odds of complications increased for knee arthroscopy 6–9 months (odds ratio [OR[:1.909; 95% CI: 1.636 – 2.214; P < .001), 3–6 months (OR: 2.286; 95% CI: 2.005 – 2.596; P < .001), and <3 months (OR: 3.430; 95% CI: 2.917 – 4.008; P < .001) before TKA.
Patients were also found to be at increased risk for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) if the amount of time between knee arthroscopy and TKA was <9 months.
In an interview with Medscape Medical News,study author Peter Sculco, MD, from the Hospital for Special Surgery, New York City, commented on the impetus for the study. "In our practice," he said, "we had a few referrals of patients who were indicated for a total knee arthroplasty.
