Partial meniscectomy has been preferred over total meniscectomy for symptomatic meniscus injuries. One of the major advantages of the procedure is that the peripheral rim of the meniscus that is responsible for biomechanical function of the knee can be preserved.
Is a partial meniscectomy worth it?
Studies of partial meniscectomy have shown that 78% to 88% of people have good results from partial meniscectomy. This means that 78 to 88 people out of 100 people who have this surgery have decreased symptoms and are able to return to most or all of their activities.
Why is a surgical procedure often necessary to repair a medial meniscus tear?
Due to their lack of blood supply, these tears have a very unlikely chance of healing. For this reason, they often require surgery. The loose fragments will often flip around in the joint and can become caught which will cause sudden sharp pain.
What is the difference between meniscus repair and Meniscectomy?
Meniscus Tear Removal vs.
There are two basic approaches to treating a torn meniscus: removing the torn part of the meniscus (a procedure called a meniscectomy); repairing the meniscus by suturing the torn parts together.
When is meniscus surgery necessary?
If you are having surgery for a symptomatic torn meniscus, a repair is generally necessary only if the tear is unstable, you have healthy meniscus tissue, and the tear is in an area of good blood supply.
Does a partial meniscectomy lead to arthritis?
In addition, a total meniscectomy increases the risk of arthritis by 14 times at 21 years postoperation and a partial meniscectomy increases the risk of arthritis by 4 times 16 years after surgery.
Are Meniscectomies effective?
Observational studies, including longitudinal cohort studies, have suggested that arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (APM) is an effective treatment for meniscal tears.
What is the recovery time for a partial medial meniscectomy?
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.
Can you live without a meniscus?
Living without a meniscus can increase your risk of osteoarthritis and chronic (long-term) knee pain. A torn or injured meniscus can also lead to osteoarthritis. This condition happens when other cartilage in the knee wears away, causing pain and stiffness.
Is it better to repair or remove a torn meniscus?
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.
Is a meniscus tear career ending?
Meniscus tears are serious and can be season-ending for many athletes. Yet often, media reports of injuries in professional athletes focosu on how the athlete’s injury will affect the team’s season as a whole.
Can you walk after a partial meniscectomy?
It usually takes about 4 to 8 weeks for patients to increase weight bearing and range of motion. Most patients can walk without a knee brace and crutches in about 2 to 3 months. Recovery time from a partial meniscectomy (partial removal of the meniscus) is quicker than recovery from a meniscus repair.
Can I run after partial meniscectomy?
Running again after surgery
Most patients who undergo meniscectomy can return to running without problems and do not have a significantly increased risk for arthritis, unless they have their entire meniscus removed, which is rare.
How long does the pain last after a partial meniscectomy?
4-6 WEEKS POST-OP:
It is normal to have some degree of pain and swelling at least this long after surgery.
What is partial medial meniscectomy?
Partial medial meniscectomy is an effective form of management for symptomatic medial meniscus tears and tears involving the posterior root with minimal to no degenerative joint disease, joint space narrowing, and preserved joint alignment.
Can a meniscus tear lead to knee replacement?
Conclusions: In patients with knee osteoarthritis arthroscopic knee surgery with meniscectomy is associated with a three fold increase in the risk for future knee replacement surgery.
Can you have a second arthroscopy?
Although many arthroscopy surgeons may not use second-look arthroscopy to assess healing progress in asymptomatic patients, sources told Orthopedics Today taking a second, arthroscopic look at the knee joint may be helpful in the research setting.
Can a partial meniscectomy failure?
Both patients and doctors have come to expect a high rate of success from arthroscopic partial meniscectomy. Failure of this procedure may result from a number of causes, most of which can be detected preoperatively.
How much does a partial meniscectomy cost?
Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy generated more cost than non-operative ($3842.57 versus $411.05, P < 0.001).
What are the long term effects of a torn meniscus?
In serious cases, it can develop into long-term knee problems, like arthritis. In addition moving around with a torn meniscus could pull fragments of the cartilage into the joint causing larger knee issues which could requiring more significant surgery in the future.
What type of meniscus tear requires surgery?
The most common type of tear to the meniscus is a radial tear. This type of tear occurs in the area of the knee that isn’t supplied with blood, so it cannot heal on its own. Surgery may be required if the tear is severe. In the case of a radial tear, the surgeon will trim away the damaged part of the meniscus.
Does meniscus grow back?
The meniscus does have the capability to repair and regenerate. When we surgically remove meniscus tissue we remove the cells that can naturally repair the meniscus damage.
Why does meniscus tear hurt at night?
There are a couple of reasons why your knee pain is worse at night: Pain is perceived to be worse at nighttime. As you climb into bed and start to quiet your mind pain becomes more pronounced than when you were active during the day distracted by your activities. An active day may cause your knee joint to swell.