Arthroscopic meniscal surgery: When you need to go for this surgery.
Arthroscopic meniscal surgery/repair is an outpatient surgical procedure to repair torn knee cartilage. The torn meniscus is repaired by a variety of minimally invasive techniques and requires postoperative protection to allow healing. You have two C-shaped discs of cartilage (soft tissue) that connect your thigh bone to your shinbone. These are called menisci. They’re like shock absorbers for your bones. They also help to keep your knee stable.
The aim of Arthroscopic meniscal surgery is to conserve as much of the natural meniscal tissue as possible, in order to optimize the long-term functional capacity of the joint. In the case of some degenerative injuries, it may be necessary to remove part of the meniscus, but the surgeon will remove as little functional meniscal tissue as possible, so as to help ensure better long-term prospects.
- Arthroscopic repair. Your doctor will make small cuts in your knee. They’ll insert an arthroscope to get a good look at the tear. Then they’ll place small devices that look like darts along the tear to stitch it up. Your body will absorb these over time.
- Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy. Your doctor will remove a piece of the torn meniscus so your knee can function normally.
- Arthroscopic total meniscectomy. During this procedure, your doctor will remove the whole meniscus.
Depending on the degree of pain involved and the degree to which the range of motion is reduced, it may be advisable to follow a conservative form of treatment, as a means of delaying surgery. However, this will not eliminate the cause and could result in an asymptomatic patient waiting too long (when secondary damage has already been occurred) before starting further treatment.
You may have to wear a brace or cast to keep your knee stable. You’ll likely also have to use crutches for at least a month to keep weight off your knee.
