Dr. Leon Popovitz, orthopedic surgeon and co-founder of NY Bone and Joint Specialists was interviewed by HealthDay (for a story on Philly.com) for his expert opinion on study that questioned the value of certain knee surgeries.
“The new analysis reflects the findings of other research, said Dr. Leon Popovitz, an orthopedic surgeon at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, who wasn’t involved in the study.
“Studies are changing the perspective of knee arthroscopy,” he said. “While it used to be thought all meniscal tears need arthroscopic surgery, it’s just not the case.”
Popovitz tells patients, “If you do have the beginnings of arthritis and a meniscal tear and don’t have mechanical symptoms, you really need to exhaust all conservative measures before pursuing arthroscopic surgery.”
Some patients eventually will need the surgery, Popovitz said, but some could be spared.
It’s still “an excellent operation” that can help many people, he added, “especially those who do not have arthritis.”
Doctors can identify arthritis in the knee by X-ray, Popovitz said.” – Philly.com 8/25/14