Subspecialties | Arthroscopy Association of Canada (AAC)

Research / Resources

Position Statement Supporting the Resumption of Restorative Surgery: Prioritizing Orthopaedic Surgery Nationwide – 2020

With the number of COVID-19 cases decreasing nationwide, hospitals and health authorities are now looking to slowly increase the number of elective surgical procedures being performed. These procedures were largely postponed at the outset of the pandemic. The AAC supports the COA position statement prioritizing orthopaedic surgery nationwide including surgical procedures for soft tissue injuries. Such injuries result in a significant economic and health burden to the economy and prioritizing all such procedures is critical to health policy.

Click below for the full COA position statement:
COA Position Statement – Resuming Restorative Surgery: Prioritizing Orthopaedic Surgery Nationwide

Position Statement Concerning Arthroscopy of the Knee Joint – 2017

This position statement was prepared in response to increased attention in the media and amongst health authorities as to the role of arthroscopy in knees with and without x-ray evidence of osteoarthritis (OA). While recognizing that there is a gap between scientific evidence and clinical practice, the purpose of this statement is to outline current best practice guidelines, taking into consideration the available evidence as well as the clinical knowledge of experienced surgeons. It is meant to be a guideline for the practice of arthroscopy while allowing for individual decision making by the surgeon and the patient after considering all risks and benefits of any procedure. The position statement was endorsed and approved by the COA Board of Directors in January 2018. Click below to see the full position statement in English or French. 

Position Statement on Intra-Articular Injections for Knee Osteoarthritis – 2019

The management of knee osteoarthritis and degenerative meniscal tears is multimodal. A key component to the non-operative management of these conditions involves intra-articular injection therapy. The injections available in Canada include: corticosteroids, hyaluronic acid (HA), platelet rich plasma (PRP), and stem cell injections including bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC). The Arthroscopy Association of Canada (AAC), and Canadian Orthopaedic Association (COA) recently reviewed the most up to date evidence on the use of these injections.

See below for a brief synopsis of findings and recommendations, as well as the complete AAC position statement, with associated grades of recommendations and references.

Research Survey Distribution to AAC Membership

AAC members are eligible to submit research survey requests for distribution to the membership provided that their surveys meet the guidelines listed below and align with the AAC Objectives also listed below. To have your survey evaluated for distribution to the AAC membership, please download, review, and complete our Application to Survey AAC Membership. The application should be submitted via email to aac@canorth.org.

Survey Guidelines
  • Please keep surveys as succinct and directed as possible. Surveys should take less than 10min to complete.
  • Questionnaires that are designed primarily for personal, institutional, or medicolegal use will not be approved for distribution to the AAC membership.
  • Only questionnaires aligning with the AAC Objectives will be considered.
AAC Objectives
  • To encourage national collaboration and advancement of sports and arthroscopy research and education.
  • To mobilize the knowledge gained through the Association’s research to contribute to the global advancement of arthroscopic surgery and improved patient outcomes.
  • To provide a collaborative forum for orthopaedic surgeons in Canada whose practices have a substantial interest in the arthroscopic management of orthopaedic conditions.
  • To facilitate and stimulate the academic and scientific exchange of ideas and thoughts between these individuals.
  • To promote excellence in arthroscopic care in Canada by developing and disseminating evidence-based best practice guidelines and by developing and offering educational opportunities for orthopaedic surgeons, trainees, and the public.

Research Opportunities

The potential for Canadian collaborative research opportunities will be discussed and initial steps formulated, with early focus on collaborative studies that are clinical or registry-based. The AAC Executive also has plans for the development of a research grant/award process for trainees and fully trained surgeons.