What is involved in meniscus surgery?
Meniscus repair: The surgeon sews torn pieces of cartilage back together so they can heal on their own. However, because of tear type and blood supply, less than 10%of tears are actually repairable. Partial meniscectomy: The surgeon trims and removes the damaged cartilage and leaves healthy meniscus tissue in place.
What do I need to know about meniscus surgery?
Today, meniscus surgery is an outpatient procedure done arthroscopically through two small incisions in the knee. The surgeon will remove the torn meniscus tissue, leaving behind as much as possible. In the very rare event of the need for total meniscus removal, your surgeon will discuss implant options with you.
What is the most important decision making factor for meniscal repair?
The factors that should have been taken in consideration while making decisions should be: 1) the clinical evaluation, 2) related lesions and 3) the exact type, location, and extent of the meniscal tear. If meniscal repair is performed combined with an ACL reconstruction the success rate is influenced.
Why would you need meniscus surgery?
If your meniscus is severely damaged or part of it is removed, this can increase the load placed on the cartilage. Over time, this can lead to wear on the cartilage and development of osteoarthritis. This is why it is important to consider meniscal repair surgery in some patients and tear patterns.
What is meniscus surgery called?
Surgery Overview. Meniscectomy is the surgical removal of all or part of a torn meniscus. A meniscus tear is a common knee joint injury. Surgeons who perform meniscectomies (orthopedic surgeons) will make surgical decisions based on the meniscus’s ability to heal as well as your age, health, and activity level.
What type of anesthesia is used for meniscus surgery?
Meniscus surgery may be done with general anesthesia or regional anesthesia. Your surgeon considers a few factors, such as your age and overall health when deciding which type of anesthesia to use. Speak with your doctor about your options and any concerns you may have.
How long is the recovery from meniscus surgery?
If you have a partial or total meniscectomy, you can expect your recovery to take about a month. If your meniscus was repaired, it may take as long as 3 months.
What is an all inside meniscus repair?
The Meniscal Cinch device allows surgeons to consistently repair meniscus tears with an all-inside arthroscopic technique, eliminating the need for accessory incisions required for traditional inside/out techniques that often result in additional morbidity.
Which one of the following types of meniscal tears is most likely to be successfully repaired with arthroscopic surgery?
Vertical longitudinal tears are the best scenario in terms of success when facing a meniscal repair. Other patterns include radial, horizontal or oblique extent to the avascular zone.
Does a torn meniscus show up on xray?
Because a torn meniscus is made of cartilage, it won’t show up on X-rays. But X-rays can help rule out other problems with the knee that cause similar symptoms. MRI . This uses radio waves and a strong magnetic field to produce detailed images of both hard and soft tissues within your knee.
Is knee meniscus surgery necessary?
In general, it’s better to fix the meniscus than to remove it. Some types of tears can’t be fixed. For example, radial tears sometimes can be fixed, but it depends on where they are. But most horizontal, long-standing, and degenerative tears—those caused by years of wear and tear—can’t be fixed.
How is an arthroscopy performed?
Arthroscopy (ahr-THROS-kuh-pee) is a procedure for diagnosing and treating joint problems. A surgeon inserts a narrow tube attached to a fiber-optic video camera through a small incision — about the size of a buttonhole. The view inside your joint is transmitted to a high-definition video monitor.
What kind of surgery is needed to repair meniscus?
Meniscus repair: The surgeon sews torn pieces of cartilage back together so they can heal on their own. However, because of tear type and blood supply, less than 10%of tears are actually repairable. Partial meniscectomy: The surgeon trims and removes the damaged cartilage and leaves healthy meniscus tissue in place.
What is the focus of physical therapy after knee meniscus surgery?
So the focus of physical therapy after a knee meniscus surgery is getting your motion all the way back and then getting strong enough to stand and do some walking.
What’s the biggest mistake people make after meniscus surgery?
So let’s get to it. The biggest mistake that people make after having a meniscus surgery is they’re doing too much way too soon. What most people just don’t get from their medical professionals is that the meniscus is a type of cartilage. And cartilage is one of the slowest healing tissues in the body.
What’s the difference between partial and total meniscus removal?
Partial meniscectomy, which is surgery to remove the torn section of the meniscus. Total meniscectomy, which is surgery to remove the entire meniscus. This surgery is not usually done, because it increases the risk of osteoarthritis in the knee.