Surgery
A doctor may consider one of the following two surgical options as an extreme resort if knee pain is so bad that it encumbers regular movement and lifestyle:
1. Arthroscopic Surgery
Commonly performed on patients with severe OA of the knee, arthroscopic surgery cleanses the knee joint of damaged cartilage and attempts to repair the surrounding tissues of the knee to restore pain free motion.
2. Knee Replacement Surgery
This surgery is only an option when quality of life suffers due to OA as it actually replaces the damaged knee joint with an artificial model. Because no artificial knee can replace a real knee joint, this surgery is only an option for severe pain cases in order to relieve pain and restore a fraction of basic movement and function to the joint.