Question

Suppose you have been asked to compare the effectiveness of 2 interventions for osteoarthritis of the knee:

Intervention 1: arthroscopic lavage, which involves washing the joint with at least 10 liters of fluid.

Intervention 2: arthroscopic debridement, which involves washing the joint with at least 10 liters of fluid followed by shaving of rough cartilage and removal of loose debris.

What study design would you use to assess the relative effectiveness of these treatments?

Also, explain the strengths/weaknesses of the selected study design.   

Answer 1