regenexx-logo

Dramatically Higher Rate of Knee Arthroscopy in the United States. Are we Getting what We’re Paying For?

by Chris Centeno, MD /

knee arthroscopy rate in USA new study released this week has revealed that the knee arthroscopy rate in US is more than double the rates of knee surgery in Europe or Canada. In addition, despite often long knee surgery recovery times, the number of knee arthroscopic surgeries increased by about 1/2 in the decade from 1996 to 2006. There were about 1,000,000 arthroscopic knee surgeries in the United States in the year 2006 alone. About 500,000 of those were for meniscus tears. First, these numbers are staggering. The current US population is about 307 million people, so approximately 1 in 300 people in the year 2006 had knee arthroscopy. If we exclude the patients treated for complete retracted ACL tears (maybe 100,000 patients based on the study)-an indication for knee surgery that we feel is very appropriate to perhaps (not proven yet) reduce the onset of more severe knee arthritis, that leaves about 900,000 surgeries. If we also take out another 100,000 surgeries that are likely performed for knee micro fracture surgery (where there is some low level evidence showing some efficacy in certain younger and male patient populations) and issues like severe locking episodes where a piece of cartilage is in the wrong spot and disabling the patient, that leaves about 800,000 surgeries focused on debridement and meniscus repair. If we assume hospital and physician costs of about $5,000 per surgery and add 25% for dealing with direct surgical complications such as infection, re-operation, etc.., the total United States societal cost is about $5 billion per year. Over a decade, this is $50 billion. While this would be fine if all of this knee surgery resulted in these knees being “fixed”, however the research suggests that this isn’t the case. In particular, the two surgeries we’re discussing that cost 5 billion dollars a year either haven’t been shown to be better than placebo surgeries or there’s current significant controversy over whether they’re effective. As an example, knee debridement surgeries (“cleaning up” the inside of the knee) have been shown to be no better than placebo surgeries. As another example, knee surgery for most meniscus tears may not work well and we’re not sure anymore whether most meniscus tears in middle aged to elderly patients even cause pain. The upshot? We’re spending an awful lot of money on knee surgeries that we don’t know to be effective.

Category: Knee, Latest News

Chris Centeno, MD

Regenexx Founder

Chris Centeno, MD is a specialist in regenerative medicine and the new field of Interventional Orthopedics. Centeno pioneered orthopedic stem cell procedures in 2005 and is responsible for a large amount of the published research on stem cell use for orthopedic applications.
View Profile

Get Blog Updates by Email

Get fresh updates and insights from Regenexx delivered straight to your inbox.

PRP for Knee Arthritis: You Need to Inject More Than the Joint

There are really multiple levels of understanding in orthobiologics. This morning I'll break that down…
by Chris Centeno, MD

Jupiter in Opposition, Father’s Day, and the Father of Regen Med

I usually wake up and get to bed early, but because of Father's day, last…
by Chris Centeno, MD

My Own Non-Surgical Spondylolisthesis Recovery

If you read this blog, you know I have a chronic back issue called spondylolisthesis.…
by Chris Centeno, MD

Upper Back Stomach Pain: Saving a Life

In treating patients in pain all day every day, every once in a while, you…
by Chris Centeno, MD
 Visit the Blog
Regenerative procedures are commonly used to treat musculoskelatal trauma, overuse injuries, and degenerative issues, including failed surgeries.
Select Your Problem Area
Shoulder

Shoulder

Many Shoulder and Rotator Cuff injuries are good candidates for regenerative treatments. Before considering shoulder arthroscopy or shoulder replacement, consider an evaluation of your condition with a regenerative treatment specialist.

  • Rotator Cuff Tears and Tendinitis
  • Shoulder Instability
  • SLAP Tear / Labral Tears
  • Shoulder Arthritis
  • Other Degenerative Conditions & Overuse Injuries
Learn More
Cervical Spine

Spine

Many spine injuries and degenerative conditions are good candidates for regenerative treatments and there are a number of studies showing promising results in treating a wide range of spine problems. Spine surgery should be a last resort for anyone, due to the cascade of negative effects it can have on the areas surrounding the surgery. And epidural steroid injections are problematic due to their long-term negative impact on bone density.

  • Herniated, Bulging, Protruding Discs
  • Degenerative Disc Disease
  • SI Joint Syndrome
  • Sciatica
  • Pinched Nerves and General Back Pain
  • And more
Learn More
Knee

Knees

Knees are the target of many common sports injuries. Sadly, they are also the target of a number of surgeries that research has frequently shown to be ineffective or minimally effective. Knee arthritis can also be a common cause for aging athletes to abandon the sports and activities they love. Regenerative procedures can be used to treat a wide range of knee injuries and conditions. They can even be used to reduce pain and delay knee replacement for more severe arthritis.

  • Knee Meniscus Tears
  • Knee ACL Tears
  • Knee Instability
  • Knee Osteoarthritis
  • Other Knee Ligaments / Tendons & Overuse Injuries
  • And more
Learn More
Lower Spine

Spine

Many spine injuries and degenerative conditions are good candidates for regenerative treatments and there are a number of studies showing promising results in treating a wide range of spine problems. Spine surgery should be a last resort for anyone, due to the cascade of negative effects it can have on the areas surrounding the surgery. And epidural steroid injections are problematic due to their long-term negative impact on bone density.

  • Herniated, Bulging, Protruding Discs
  • Degenerative Disc Disease
  • SI Joint Syndrome
  • Sciatica
  • Pinched Nerves and General Back Pain
  • And more
Learn More
Hand & Wrist

Hand & Wrist

Hand and wrist injuries and arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and conditions relating to overuse of the thumb, are good candidates for regenerative treatments. Before considering surgery, consider an evaluation of your condition with a regenerative treatment specialist.
  • Hand and Wrist Arthritis
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  • Trigger Finger
  • Thumb Arthritis (Basal Joint, CMC, Gamer’s Thumb, Texting Thumb)
  • Other conditions that cause pain
Learn More
Elbow

Elbow

Most injuries of the elbow’s tendons and ligaments, as well as arthritis, can be treated non-surgically with regenerative procedures.

  • Golfer’s elbow & Tennis elbow
  • Arthritis
  • Ulnar collateral ligament wear (common in baseball pitchers)
  • And more
Learn More
Hip

Hip

Hip injuries and degenerative conditions become more common with age. Do to the nature of the joint, it’s not quite as easy to injure as a knee, but it can take a beating and pain often develops over time. Whether a hip condition is acute or degenerative, regenerative procedures can help reduce pain and may help heal injured tissue, without the complications of invasive surgical hip procedures.

  • Labral Tear
  • Hip Arthritis
  • Hip Bursitis
  • Hip Sprain, Tendonitis or Inflammation
  • Hip Instability
Learn More
Foot & Ankle

Foot & Ankle

Foot and ankle injuries are common in athletes. These injuries can often benefit from non-surgical regenerative treatments. Before considering surgery, consider an evaluation of your condition with a regenerative treatment specialist.
  • Ankle Arthritis
  • Plantar fasciitis
  • Ligament sprains or tears
  • Other conditions that cause pain
Learn More

Is Regenexx Right For You?

Request a free Regenexx Info Packet

REGENEXX WEBINARS

Learn about the #1 Stem Cell & Platelet Procedures for treating arthritis, common joint injuries & spine pain.

Join a Webinar

RECEIVE BLOG ARTICLES BY EMAIL

Get fresh updates and insights from Regenexx delivered straight to your inbox.

Subscribe to the Blog

FOLLOW US

Copyright © Regenexx 2019. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy

*DISCLAIMER: Like all medical procedures, Regenexx® Procedures have a success and failure rate. Patient reviews and testimonials on this site should not be interpreted as a statement on the effectiveness of our treatments for anyone else.

Providers listed on the Regenexx website are for informational purposes only and are not a recommendation from Regenexx for a specific provider or a guarantee of the outcome of any treatment you receive.