CAUSES
- Each knee has two menisci, medial and lateral
- Tears can occur from trauma or degeneration (aging)
PREOP
- X-ray (ensure no arthritis, which makes surgery unpredictable)
- MRI Scan-Evaluate ACL, cartilage, and other ligaments
TREATMENT OF MENISCUS TEARS
- Tears in the thick part of the meniscus can often bee repaired
- Tears in the thin, avascular portion of the meniscus or complex tears are usually treated with partial meniscectomy
- Degenerative tears from aging are often treated without surgery particularly if there is arthritis.
RECOVERY
- Partial meniscectomy patients can bear weight immediately and are recovered in 6-12 weeks
- Meniscus repair requires a period of bracing and partial weight bearing and healing is 4 months
DAY OF SURGERY
- General anesthesia
- 1 hour surgery
- Outpatient
WHEN TO HAVE SURGERY?
- Meniscus tears with locking or mechanical symptoms are often treated with surgery right away.
- Degenerative tears can be managed conservatively at first and surgery can be reserved for failure of treatment (injection and therapy)
SUCCESS RATE
- Partial meniscectomy is very successful (95%) in the absence of arthritis
- Meniscus repair has a 20% re-tear rate requiring second surgery.
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Torn Meniscus
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After
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Flipped Meniscus
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Meniscus Repair
Questions?
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