What does the “Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews” Say with Regard to the Surgical Management of Knee Osteoarthritis?

Introduction: The Cochrane Library makes the outcomes of well-conducted controlled trials quickly accessible and is an essential resource for evidence-based medicine. Purpose: The purpose of this article is to review the data on the surgical treatment of knee osteoarthritis currently provided by the Cochrane database of systematic reviews (CDBSR). Results: The main results included the following: Joint lavage and arthroscopic debridement have no benefit for osteoarthritis; valgus high tibial osteotomy (HTO) reduces pain and improves knee function in patients with medial compartmental osteoarthritis of the knee; in primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) cemented fixation of the tibial components demonstrated less displacement compared with cementless fixation (with and without hydroxyapatite) after a follow‐up of two years; however, the cemented fixation presented a greater risk of future aseptic loosening than cementless fixation; clinically irrelevant differences have been found between retention and sacrifice of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) in primary TKA; moderate‐ to low‐quality evidence suggests that mobile-bearing prostheses can have similar effects on various parameters compared with fixed-bearing prostheses in PCL-retaining TKA. Conclusion: The CDBSR discourages joint lavage and arthroscopic debridement, demonstrates the utility of the valgus HTO in patients with medial compartmental osteoarthritis of the knee, and suggests that the various design types in primary TKA offer similar results.