Arthroscopy in OA — SCE Rheumatology MCQ
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Correct answer: A — Do not offer arthroscopic lavage or debridement for osteoarthritis
The best answer is “Do not offer arthroscopic lavage or debridement for osteoarthritis”. NICE advises not to offer arthroscopic lavage or debridement to people with osteoarthritis because it does not provide meaningful benefit over non-operative care. The remaining choices—“Offer lavage before considering therapeutic exercise, after specialist assessment”, “Offer debridement after one failed topical NSAID, with clinical reassessment”, “Reserve lavage for radiographically severe disease, within a rheumatology pathway”, “Use lavage to prevent joint replacement, after safety review”—are credible in related rheumatology presentations, but each addresses a different diagnosis, investigation, treatment sequence or complication and does not fit the decisive findings in this stem.
Reference: NICE NG226 osteoarthritis: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng226/chapter/Recommendations