Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

New research by a team at the University of Oxford and the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre and published today in The Lancet provides robust basis for informed shared decision-making and consent on keyhole knee surgery.

An innovative study using 20 years’ worth of data covering around 700,000 arthroscopic partial meniscectomies (APM), or keyhole knee surgery, looked at the risks from the procedure when compared to the general population, to inform the conversations between clinicians and patients affected by meniscal tears.

More than 30% of people over 50 have meniscal problems, rising to over 60% for individuals with osteoarthritis (OA). APM is one of the most commonly performed orthopaedic procedures worldwide for these problems and recent research has raised concerns both about its effectiveness and potential for complications.

Our findings enable patients and clinicians to understand, for the first time, the true risk that can be attributed to undergoing this common surgical procedure.
- Simon Abram

The Oxford team has shown that whilst very rare, serious complications such as pulmonary embolism and infection can arise following APM, which should limit the procedure to carefully selected patients.

Professor Andrew Price, lead investigator on the project and president of the British Association for Surgery of the Knee says: “We have recently made great steps forward in understanding who will benefit from arthroscopic meniscal surgery. It’s also critical to assess the potential risks of these procedures. Our aim was to improve information available for patients and clinicians to enhance the shared decision making process."

The research looked at around 700,000 procedures in England using data from the National Health Service and Office for National Statistics databases in England for the last 20 years. In addition to the volume of data, the team took an innovative approach to data analysis.

“By comparing the rate of each potential adverse outcome occurring following APM with the frequency of that outcome occurring in the general population, our findings enable patients and clinicians to understand, for the first time, the true risk that can be attributed to undergoing this common surgical procedure”, adds Simon Abram, first author of the paper published today.

Shared decision-making is an important aspect of improving healthcare in the NHS, where patients and clinicians work together to decide on treatments and approaches which best suit an individual’s circumstances. This process puts people at the heart of decisions about their own care, empowering patients and carers and fostering meaningful conversations with the health professionals involved.

Similar stories

NIHR Fellowships awarded to NDORMS researchers

Congratulations to Eileen Morrow and Mae Chester-Jones who have received NIHR Doctoral Fellowships

ORUK Early Career Research Fellowship awarded to NDORMS researcher

Congratulations to Jack Tu who has been awarded an Orthopaedic Research UK Early Career Research Fellowship to explore the cause of knee pain after total knee replacement.

OCTRU - delivering answers to important clinical questions

The Oxford Clinical Trials Research Unit (OCTRU) has received NIHR benchmarking results and offers excellent value for money according to the report

Unhelpful thoughts about fracture symptoms hinder recovery

The importance of mindsets and feelings about fracture symptoms have been shown to be a key factor in recovery of musculoskeletal conditions.

Fat tissues can play a protective role against inflammation in the intestine

A new study in The EMBO Journal has revealed how fat tissues might provide a protective role in intestinal inflammation opening new lines of research into the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases.

NDORMS researchers awarded Sir Henry Wellcome Fellowships

Kennedy Institute researchers Mariana Borsa and Edward Jenkins have both been awarded Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowships, which give recently qualified postdoctoral researchers the opportunity to start independent research careers.