Objective:

In this study, we purposed to evaluate the early and mid term results and life quality of the patients who underwent to arthroscopic cartilage debridement and joint lavage because of symptomatic gonarthrosis which didn’t response to medical treament at least three months, restricted the patient’s daily activity and wasn’t at the late stage radiologically.

Material and Methods:

We made our study between 2004-2010 with 96 patients over forty years who applied to our clinic and came to their controls periodically because of knee pain which did not remit by conservative treatment at least three months, had gonarthrosis diagnosis according to modified ACR criteria, under 4. Stage according to Kellgren-Lawrence criteria radiologically and underwent to arthroscopic cartilage debridement and articular lavage because of symptomatic gonarthrosis. We evaluated the life quality, pain and functional scores of the patients pre and post-operatively by SF-36 and WOMAC point index. (Number Cruncher Statistical System) 2007 & PASS 2008 Statistical Software (Utah, USA) program was used for statistical analyze. The results are evaluated with Student t test ve Mann Whitney U test. p<0.05 was statistically significiant.

Results:

In our study we found that the postoperatively physical and social functions, mental health and total SF-36 scores are increased, WOMAC scores are decreased statistically significantly (p<0.01). We found that the difference between preoperative and postoperative WOMAC and SF-36 scores were not different statistically between two groups whose BMI<30 and BMI≥30 (p>0.05). Physical and social functions, mental health and total SF-36 scores of the patients who underwent to operation in the last 18 months were statistically significantly increased against the patients whose operation time was earlier (P<0.01). Physical and social functions, mental health and total SF-36 scores of the patients who are under 50 were statistically significiantly greater than patients over 50 (p<0.01).

Conclusion:

The artrhroscopic joint debridement and lavage can be used , cheap, low morbid method to improve life quality, functions and to recruit the pain when applied on well chosen patients.

Keywords: Knee osteoarthritis, arthroscopic joint debridement, quality of li