Finnish 10-Year Study Ties Common Knee Surgery to Faster Osteoarthritis, Little Benefit
Updated
Updated · CBS New York · Jul 13
Finnish 10-Year Study Ties Common Knee Surgery to Faster Osteoarthritis, Little Benefit
2 articles · Updated · CBS New York · Jul 13
Summary
A 10-year Finnish trial found arthroscopic surgery for degenerative meniscus tears offered little or no pain benefit over sham surgery and was linked to faster osteoarthritis and more reoperations.
The study covered middle-aged and older patients with knee pain and MRI-detected tears from wear and tear, not acute injuries, and researchers said they had selected patients most likely to benefit.
U.S. use is falling but remains widespread: one claims study counted more than 2 million meniscus surgeries from 2010 to 2020, declining about 4% a year, while Medicare cases dropped to 91,000 in 2024 from 169,000 in 2014.
Practice still varies sharply by surgeon and region, even as prior evidence has shown physical therapy can match surgery for many patients and a transatlantic orthopedic consensus urged trying nonoperative treatment first.
The stakes are financial as well as clinical: Medicare pays roughly $2,159 to $3,875 for the procedure, with patients owing 20% coinsurance, while commercial insurers often pay more than twice that.