ABSTRACT
Deeming the very fact that synovectomy is still being performed due to various diseases of the knee joint and having no published document comparing the outcome of arthroscopic synovectomy with open synovectomy, this study was conducted at Akhtar hospital. The design was historical cohort study. All patients who underwent synovectomy of the knee joint during 1997 to 2004 and were followed up for at least two years were enrolled. Arthroscopic synovectomy were the case group and the open synovectomy were the control one. The groups were matched through their age, sex, duration of disease and follow up. Mismatched cases were excluded. The outcome of treatment was evaluated by subjective feelings, range of motion, recurrence, postoperative pain and the days of admission. Recurrence rate were more common in arthroscopic group [P<0.008]. Limitation in range of motion of the knee joint were 5 times more in open group [P<0.000]. Fisher's test showed that subjective feelings were equal in both groups [P<0.5]. Duration of in-hospital course were 9.8 days in open group and 6 days in arthroscopic group. Opioid analgesics were utilized less in the arthroscopic group [P<0.007]. This study showed that limitation of range of motion, duration of hospitalization and the use of opioid analgesics were more in open group, compared to arthroscopic group. In contrast, the arthroscopic group had more recurrence. Subjective feelings were same in both groups