(September 10, 2008 - Insidermedicine) Surgery offers no benefits over medical and physical therapy for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee, according to research published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Here are some facts about osteoarthritis:

•    It is a condition in which the cartilage in a joint breaks down, causing the joint to become painful and inflamed.

•    The risk of developing osteoarthritis increases with advancing age.

•    While there is no cure, there are several treatments for osteoarthritis, including exercises, anti-inflammatory drugs, and, in rare cases, surgery.

Researchers from the University of Western Ontario randomly assigned nearly 200 patients with moderate to severe osteoarthritis of the knee to undergo surgery where a scope is used to clear inflamed tissue and debris out of the joint, followed by medical and physical therapy, or just medical and physical therapy alone.

After two years, both groups of patients had similar scores on measures of symptoms of osteoarthritis as well as on measures of overall physical functioning.

Today's research demonstrates that medical and physical therapy is just as effective as surgery for treating osteoarthritis of the knee.

For Insidermedicine in Depth, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.