Meniscus Tear – Here Are the Treatment Options!

The meniscus is a crescent-shaped cushion between the knee cap and thigh bone that cushions the knee joint. The meniscus has many functions, including protecting, lubricating, supporting, allowing movement, and being a shock absorber. Each time your body weight is transmitted over the knees during activity or through everyday actions, it can cause tiny tears in your meniscus, so they are often found to be degenerative and not always easy to repair without surgical intervention. 

Surgery would involve either a TPLO (Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy) which is an operation where the leg bone is trimmed at two levels on either side of the injury, or removal of part of one or both knees. You can consult Dr. Steven Ferrer to get the best and speedy meniscus treatment. 

Meniscal repair involves the application of a synthetic graft and is performed with either open or arthroscopic techniques. Sometimes, the meniscal repair is performed with surgical instruments together with an arthroscopic procedure. Meniscal repair may be needed when the damage to the meniscus is just too extensive, and the damaged area is likely to require chronic treatment over some time.

Treatments for Meniscus Tear:

Non operative treatments 

They are functional treatments that are aimed at restoring the knee’s functionality. This is carried out by promoting the healing of the meniscus injury using the preservation of its original anatomy. 

Surgical treatments

It refers to operations that are performed on the damaged portion of the meniscus. The first step is to leave the bones that should be replaced with a synthetic substitute. This process involves cutting through the outer layer of the meniscus, leaving behind its inner core.

Arthroscopic treatments

They are minimally invasive procedures that use a thin telescope or other surgical instruments to operate on targeted tissue under magnification instead of open surgery. The surgeon can also employ cutting tools inside his field of vision without incisions on the knee joint’s inner surface, which usually causes bleeding.

The treatment for a meniscus tear highly depends on the extent of the damage. If the damage is limited to a small area on one side of the knee, surgery may not be necessary. However, if a complete tear of both menisci has occurred, surgery is required to repair the torn tissue and restore full function.

Surgical treatments are generally suggested for mild to moderate meniscus tears that prevent them from healing without intervention. The surgery used depends on which knee is affected. Follow-up care may include physical therapy and rehabilitation consisting of stretching exercises, strengthening exercises, and other treatments to promote healing or prevent stiffness in the knee.