BACKGROUND: Multiple clinical trials have shown that arthroscopy for @entity626 is not efficacious. It is unclear how these studies have affected orthopaedic practice in the USA. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: We questioned whether, in the Veterans Health Administration system, rates of knee arthroscopy in @entity1 with @entity571 have changed after publication of the initial clinical trial by Moseley et al. in 2002, and whether rates of arthroplasty within 2 years of arthroscopy have changed during the same period. METHODS: @entity1 50 years and older with @entity626 who underwent arthroscopy between 1998 and 2010 were retrospectively identified and an annual arthroscopy rate was calculated from 1998 through 2002 and from 2006 through 2010. @entity1 who underwent knee arthroplasty within 2 years of arthroscopy during each period were identified, and a 2-year @entity13299 to arthroplasty rate was calculated. RESULTS: Between 1998 and 2002, the annual arthroscopy rate decreased from 4% to 3%. Of these arthroscopies, 4% were converted to arthroplasty within 2 years. Between 2006 and 2010, the annual arthroscopy rate increased from 3% to 4%. Of these arthroscopies, 5% were converted to arthroplasty within 2 years. CONCLUSIONS: Rates of arthroscopy in @entity1 with @entity626 and @entity13299 to arthroplasty within 2 years have not decreased with time. It may be that evidence alone is not sufficient to alter practice patterns or that arthroscopy rates for @entity625 for @entity1 in the Veterans Health Administration system were already so low that the results of the initial clinical trial had no substantial effect. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, Retrospective cohort study.

Arthroscopy for Knee XXXX Has Not Decreased After a Clinical Trial.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['Patients', 'patients'] @entity626 :: ('MESH:D020370', 'Disease') :: ['knee osteoarthritis'] @entity571 :: ('MESH:D010003', 'Disease') :: ['osteoarthritis'] @entity625 :: ('MESH:D001168', 'Disease') :: ['arthritis'] @entity13299 :: ('MESH:D003291', 'Disease') :: ['conversion']
@entity571 :: (MESH:D010003,Disease) :: ['Osteoarthritis']
