Table 9

Guideline recommendations for surgery


AAOS [10]
Schnitzer/ACR [7]
EULAR [6]

Surgery
Recommended for patients with 12 weeks or more of pain not responding to conservative treatment
Recommended for patients with severe osteoarthritis limiting their activities of daily living and not responding to nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic treatments
Recommended (C) for patients with radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis, refractory pain and disability
Total knee replacement
Recommended (A) for patients with bi/tri compartmental arthritis if no response from conservative treatment

Recommended (C)

Recommended (A) for patients with medial compartment arthritis not candidate for osteotomy or unicompartmental knee replacement



Recommended (A) for patients with lateral compartment arthritis not candidate for osteotomy



Recommended (B) for older patients if magnetic resonance imaging confirms avascular necrosis



Recommended (B) for older or less active patients with isolated patellofemoral arthritis



Recommended (D) if no response from conservative treatment and previous infection



Not recommended (D) if active infection


Unicompartmental knee replacement
Recommended (B) for less active patients with medial compartment arthritis

Recommended (C)

Recommended (C) for patients with lateral compartment arthritis not candidate for osteotomy


Osteotomy
Recommended (A) for young, active patients with medial compartment arthritis and varus alignment if no response from conservative treatment

Recommended (C)

Recommended (B) for young, active patients with lateral compartment arthritis


Arthroscopy
Not recommended (A) if no mechanical symptoms

Recommended (C)

Recommended (B) if degenerative arthritis and mechanical symptoms



Recommended (B) if gross malalignment/instability, cartilage remaining and localized symptoms


Knee fusion
Recommended (D) if no response from conservative treatment and previous infection, or for young patients with a history of chronic infection


Patellectomy
Recommended (D) for young, active patients with isolated patellofemoral arthritis



AAOS, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; ACR, American College of Rheumatology; EULAR, European League Against Rheumatism.

Poitras et al. Arthritis Research & Therapy 2007 9:R126   doi:10.1186/ar2339