RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is the most common form of arthritis, leading to pain disability in seniors and increased health care utilization. Acupotomy has been widely used to treat KOA. But its efficiency has not been scientifically and methodically evaluated. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupotomy for the treatment of patients with KOA. METHODS: Relevant studies will be searched from the databases of PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database, Weipu Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals, SinoMed, and Wanfang Database from their inception to June 10, 2019. Two researchers will independently select studies, collect data, and assess the methodology quality by the Cochrane risk of bias tool. RESULTS: The systematic review will provide high-quality evidence to assess the efficacy and safety of acupotomy for KOA by pain, stiffness, and dysfunction of knee joint, and quality of life, as well as adverse events. CONCLUSION: The systematic review will provide evidence to assess the effectiveness and safety of acupotomy therapy for KOA patients. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: PROSPERO CRD42019132082.