ABSTRACT
Objective To observe the therapeutic effect of arthroscopic debridement combined with oral use of Chinese medicine Guanjietong Tablets ( GT) for knee osteoarthritis in the early and middle stage. Methods Ninety knee osteoarthritis patients in the early and middle stage were evenly randomized into three groups, namely GT group, glucosamine sulfate group and blank control group. All of the three groups received arthroscopic debridement, and additionally, GT group and glucosamine sulfate group were given the corresponding medicine orally. We observed Lysholm knee scores of the three groups before operation, and 2 weeks, 3 months and one year after operation, and compared the knee joint space before operation and one year after operation showed by digital X-ray photograpy. Results ( 1) Lysholm knee scores in the three groups were increased 2 weeks, 3 months and one year after operation when compared with those before operation, the difference being significant (P 0.05) , but the difference between the two groups and the blank control group was significant (P0.05) , while was significant in the blank control group ( P<0.05). Conclusion Arthroscopic debridement alone has certain short-term curative effect in treating knee osteoarthritis in the early and middle stage, but the effect will decline with the extension of time. Arthroscopic debridement combined with Guanjietong Tablets could delay the narrowing of joint space and maintain the clinical curative effect, which will delay the time for artificial joint replacement.