Clinics in sports medicine
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The role of arthroscopy in the management of degenerative knee arthritis in the older athlete remains controversial. This patient population desires symptomatic improvement to maintain active lifestyles. For advanced tricompartmental osteoarthritis, total knee arthroplasty provides the most predictable results. ⋯ It has low morbidity and does not preclude future reconstructive procedures. Although long-term success is difficult to predict, certain patient variables are associated with a better outcome: normal limb alignment, history of mechanical symptoms, minimal radiographic signs of degeneration, and short duration of symptoms. Long-term randomized prospective studies are needed to define the role of arthroscopy further in the older athlete with degenerative knee arthritis.