The NEJM articles you refer to concerns arthroscopic debridement as a treatment for osteoarthritis, not on arthroscopic repair of torn meniscus resulting from sports or other injury. So unless I've completely misunderstoofd your situation, not relevant.

Sheryl, thanks. It wasn't a sports injury. I'd been having occasional stiffness and looseness in that knee and then one night I was walking briskly and it just suddenly seized up or buckled, with a lot of pain. Couldn't walk. Since then I've rested it, taken some NSAIDs and it's improved a lot. I'm in my late 50's, and the X-ray and MRI showed no significant problem except a torn meniscus with large flap. My understanding is that at my age it is unlikely they can repair it (although the surgeon said it was a possibility) and more likely they'd just cut away the bad part. Anyway, I guess I'm not unlike the patients in the NEJM study although probably I'd be at the very mild end of the osteoarthritis spectrum. According to the surgeon at Bumrungrad, the meniscus was probably getting worn and torn to the point where finally it got caught in the joint. Make sense?

Of course even if the NEJM article is correct, it is so new that I doubt it will affect standard practice for quite a while. But it does make me think ...

As always I recommend Pra monklutklau the military hospital, specialists in all things and they are often farmed out to other hospitals.

I know this for a fact as I met my surgeon at Payatai 2 and was given the choice of having the work done either there or at the army hospital for less than half price.

Different problems, not knees but top care, only problem is you waites your turn for consultations but once you are there everything is top class except the beds which are hard.

If you are looking for alternatives give them a go, the Dr's spseak English, some better than others but most of the nurses and support staff do not so if you go take along a Thai speaker.

After the TKR (total knee replacement surgery) at Mission Hospital, I have better mobility and can't believe it turns out that great!