Temporal relationship between knee arthroscopy and arthroplasty: a quality measure for joint care?

This study examined the incidence and rates of knee arthroscopy in patients older than 65 years and the risk of subsequent knee arthroplasty. Medicare claims data (1997-2006, 5% sample) were used to identify 78,137 knee arthroscopy patients. Performance of arthroscopy increased 56.1%. Prevalence increased 44.6% from 362.2 to 523.7 per 100,000 Medicare patients. The prevalence was greater for women and white patients. Prevalence of knee arthroscopy was greater in the South. Within 1 year after arthroscopy, 10.2% of arthropathy patients and 8.5% of injury patients underwent knee arthroplasty. A progressive increase was seen in the rates of use of knee arthroscopy in elderly Medicare patients for a 10-year period. A 10.2% failure rate 1 year after knee arthroscopy may be a reasonable benchmark against which performance of knee arthroscopy in patients older than 65 years can be measured.