Meniscus Tears

The meniscus is a pad of cartilage located at the center of the knee joint that acts as a shock absorber or cushion, distributing weight across the knee, decreasing friction between the bones and adding to the stability of the knee.

As you age, your cartilage can wear down, especially if you have arthritis.

Tearing a meniscus is also very common while playing sports, due to sudden motion or direction changes.

Meniscus Tears

Meniscus tears typically occur as a result of suddenly twisting the knee.

Traumatic injuries as well as subtle injuries or just a twisting motion during daily activities can cause the meniscus to tear.

The symptoms of a meniscus tear include:

Knee pain
Swelling
Locking
Inability to completely straighten the knee joint

An MRI is frequently obtained to diagnose a meniscus tear.

How do you treat a torn meniscus?

Untreated meniscus tears can increase in size and lead to complications, such as arthritis.

If you have knee pain, you will want to talk to your orthopedic doctor as soon as possible.

There are several options for treatment, depending on the severity of the tear.

Non-surgical treatment for tears that can heal on their own may include:

Physical therapy
Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation
Anti-inflammatory medications

If surgery is necessary, minimally invasive techniques can be used to either remove the torn portion of the meniscus (partial meniscectomy) or to completely repair the meniscus.

Meniscus Surgeries and Repair

Partial Meniscectomy

Trimming out the torn portion of the meniscus is also called a partial meniscectomy. During this procedure, only the portion of meniscus that is torn is removed and the healthy remaining meniscus is preserved.

The size and configuration of the tear determine how much meniscus is removed.

Meniscus Repair

If the meniscus is removed completely, this leads to relatively rapid arthritis.

In order for the meniscus to be repaired and heal successfully, two criteria must be met:

The tear must also be near the outer edge of the meniscus so that it has a blood supply to allow for healing
The tear must also be in a configuration that allows for repair

Minimally invasive techniques are used to repair the meniscus, but if you undergo a meniscal repair, you'll be asked to be more cautious postoperatively and adhere to additional restrictions than those for a partial meniscectomy.

Meniscus Transplantation

For some individuals who have had nearly their entire meniscus removed, meniscus transplant can be an option. This involves placing a meniscus from a cadaver into your knee and securing it. This brings some of the cushioning back to the knee and may help with pain and delay arthritis.