Meniscus Tear

About The Meniscus

The knee has 2 menisci, the medial and lateral meniscus. These structures are fibrocartilaginous rings that sit between the femur and tibia bone. They function during weight bearing to cushion the joint and protect the articular cartilage surfaces from being damaged. As a result of ‘wear and tear’ or injury the meniscus can become damaged and torn.

Symptoms of a Tear

Symptoms of a torn meniscus are typically knee pain, joint swelling, limping, knee clicking or locking, an inability to run or perform at a previous baseline level of activity. Treatment for a torn meniscus in some cases is pain management. This can include the use of oral anti-inflammatory medications, steroid injections, knee bracing and exercises. In other cases surgical treatment is recommended.

The Procedure

At Regional Orthopedics meniscus surgery is performed arthroscopically as an ambulatory procedure utilizing in most cases only a local anesthetic. Depending on the pattern and size of the tear it may be amenable to surgical repair (meniscus repair). If a surgical repair is not possible then the torn portion of the meniscus is removed (partial menisectomy). In each scenario the pain associated with the tear is typically resolved. Recovery time can be a few days for menisectomy and up to 4-6 weeks with protected weight bearing for meniscus repair. In cases where the entire meniscus is torn an irrepairable, a meniscus transplant can be considered.