Meniscus Repair

A meniscus tear is a common knee injury. The meniscus is cushion of the knee, which protects the cartilage and prevents development of osteoarthritis.

Each knee has 2 menisci -one at the outer portion of the knee and one at the inner edge. The menisci keep your knee steady by equalization your weight across the knee.
A torn meniscus can stop your knee from functioning right.

 

Meniscus Repair Surgery is a procedure to repair torn knee cartilage. There are surgical and non-surgical treatments for Meniscus repair depending upon the case.

Types of Meniscus Repair Surgery

Depending upon the intensity of the tear, which can be mild (grade1, 2) or severe (grade 3), basis the condition of the patient the doctor will choose to do any of the following:

  • Arthroscopic repair.

In this procedure, the doctor makes small cuts in the knee and then inserts an arthroscope to have a clear view of the tear. Then a small device is placed that seem like a dart on the tear to sew it up and then the body will absorb these over time.

  • Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy.

In this procedure, the doctor will remove a piece of the torn meniscus so the patient’s knee can function normally.

  • Arthroscopic total meniscectomy.

During this procedure, the doctor will remove the whole meniscus.

Patients who require the surgery

If tear is small and on the outer edge of the meniscus, the patient may not require surgical repair. As long as symptoms like excessive pain, swelling, unable to make knee movements, cracking sound or sensation does not persist and your knee is stable, nonsurgical treatment may be all you need. RICE.

The RICE protocol is effective for many sports-related injuries.

RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.

If symptoms persist with nonsurgical treatment, then one should go for Meniscus Repair minimally invasive surgery.

Benefits of  Meniscus Repair Surgery

Minimally Invasive surgery can help to diagnose the pain associated with meniscal tears and is stands out amongst the most prevalent types of treatment when the pain is serious and happens regularly. If the menisci are damaged, the knee can become unbalanced and may result in arthritis.  Surgical procedure may give the best option in contrast to safeguarding the knee from further harm and later issues.

Some key advantages of this sort of surgery are relief from pain and improvement in movement. A repair for meniscal tears with arthroscopic surgery is a safe procedure, which allows the patients to maintain comfortable active lifestyle.

The risks of treatment for meniscal tears

There may be some complications associated with surgery for meniscal tears, including unforeseen complications with anesthesia, such as respiratory or cardiac malfunction.

Infections could result from surgery, in addition to injury to nerves and blood vessels, fracture, weakness, stiffness or instability of the joint, pain, inability to repair the meniscus, repeated rupture of the cartilage, or the need for additional surgeries.

Patients ought to be made aware that not all meniscal tears are fixable.

The cartilage in the knee could have simply worn away over time, preventing the physician from repairing the remaining cartilage with sutures.

In these cases, the surgeon will remove all the torn cartilage and repair any other problems in the knee.

Surgical procedures and risks related to meniscal surgery may depend upon the patient’s condition and his or her individual desires.

Patients should keep in mind that their age does play an important role in the success of the procedure.

Repairs tend to be only for individuals below the age of thirty who have the procedure done within the first two months after injury.

For people over 30, the likelihood of success of surgery diminishes because the meniscal tissue begins to naturally deteriorate and weaken with age.

Performing the Surgery

It is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures that usually last for an hour. The surgeon inserts an arthroscope through a small incision (portal) to see the kind of repair. This provides a transparent view of within the knee.

Accordingly surgical instruments are used to trim or repair the meniscus.

  • Partial meniscectomy:

In this procedure, the broken cartilage tissue is removed.

  • Meniscus repair:

Some cartilage tears may be repaired by sewing (stitching) the torn parts along.

The success of the tear treated with repair depends upon the kind of tear, as well as the overall condition of the injured meniscus.

Because the meniscus must heal back together, recovery time for a repair is much longer than from a meniscectomy.

Only 10 percent of menisci are repairable using this method.

In the majority of cases, a partial ablation is needed wherever a part of the cartilage is removed and therefore the healthy tissue is left intact.

Recovery from a partial meniscectomy is easier, but there are also future risks, such as the development of arthritis.

Recovery

The recovery totally depends on whether you had a meniscus repair (sutures) or if simply had the torn pieces removed (partial menisectomy).

In some cases the recovery from meniscus surgery is measured in days to weeks, and in cases of a meniscus repair might take a few months to recover fully.

The concept of recovery begins before surgery. Prehab or physical therapy before surgery could be important.

The stronger your leg is before surgery the better your recovery can be.

Controlling pain after surgery is also critical to ensure proper recovery after meniscus surgery. One can take care at home by ice compression sleeve, or a knee compression sleeve to wear throughout the day, and supplements to minimize inflammation.

Key factors, which will influence meniscal, tear recovery after surgery

Key factors like age, weight, and activity demands influence meniscal tear recovery after surgery.

The older you’re, and the heavier you are, the longer your recovery will be.

Patients who have osteoarthritis and a meniscus tear should anticipate a more rocky recovery.

Arthritis found at the time of your meniscus surgery will considerably influence your recovery following an operation.

If one is suffering from arthritis then you’re missing some or all of the cartilage on the ends of the bones.

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