[Arthrosis among the elderly. Conservative therapy as a first choice]

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Orthopedics
• Rheumatology

Background:

• Osteoarthritis is a leading cause of disability in the elderly, characterized by joint destruction.
• The exact pathogenesis of osteoarthritis remains unknown, precluding causal therapies.
• Current treatments focus on conservative pain management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current treatment landscape for osteoarthritis in the elderly.
• To highlight the efficacy of joint replacement as a treatment option.
• To discuss the impact of quality registers on improving patient outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of osteoarthritis treatment modalities.
• Analysis of outcomes data for joint replacement surgery in elderly populations.
• Examination of the role of national quality registers in orthopedic surgery.

Main Results:

• Conservative treatments primarily manage pain, not disease progression.
• Joint replacement surgery demonstrates excellent overall results in elderly patients.
• Continuous improvement in outcomes is observed, attributed to quality registers.

Conclusions:

• While causal treatments for osteoarthritis are lacking, joint replacement is highly effective for the elderly.
• National quality registers are instrumental in enhancing surgical outcomes and patient care.
• Further research into osteoarthritis pathogenesis is needed, but current surgical options provide significant functional improvement.