Meniscus Repair surgery is the surgery to repair the torn menisci. Normally, the menisci are two C-shaped disks of cartilage in the knee joint. They act like shock absorbers and prevent cartilage damage. Meniscus tear is a common injury seen in athletes who play contact sports like football, hockey, etc. The common symptoms of a torn menisci are pain, locking, swelling, and limping while walking. The surgery for a meniscus tear helps relieve your symptoms, improve your mobility and joint stability, and also helps you get back to your usual activities. The information ahead will help you to look into what causes the menisci to tear, what treatments are available for the torn menisci, and why a meniscus tear surgery in Delhi with CSI can help you get back to your normal chores and activities with the best surgery outcomes.
The word menisci means crescent or moon-shaped wedges of fibrocartilaginous structures located on the medial and lateral aspects of your knees. The medial meniscus is approximately 35 mm in diameter and it is more broader posteriorly than it is anteriorly. The lateral meniscus on the other hand is almost circular and occupies a larger portion of the articular surface as compared to the medial meniscus. Also, the lateral meniscus is of uniform width from anterior to posterior. The menisci are dense extracellular matrices composed of water (72%) and collagen (22%) interposed with cells. The biomechanical functions of the menisci are to act as load transmitters, shock absorbers, joint stabilizers, proprioception, and also provide nutrition and lubrication.
A meniscus tear is a common injury of the menisci, seen in athletes who play contact sports like hockey, football, etc. where frequent twisting of the knee occurs.
The meniscus tear usually occurs when your foot is planted on the ground and the upper part of the leg is turned to one side, leading to the injury of the meniscus.
If you have had an injury to the meniscus, you will have pain and swelling of the knee. The following signs and symptoms may develop after the meniscus is torn: - swelling, stiffness, and pain while twisting or rotating your knee, difficulty straightening your knees fully, and locking of the knee joint in a flexed position.
The diagnosis of a meniscus tear is made by your orthopedic surgeon once they physically examine your knee. Your doctor will check for knee tenderness along the joint line where the meniscus sits. This is usually a signal for meniscal tears. The orthopedic surgeon may perform, special tests like the McMurray test that reproduces the pain, clicking, and clunking sensation within the joint. Imaging tests like Dynamic MRI diagnose the torn meniscus.
The treatment for a torn meniscus recommended by your orthopedic surgeon depends upon various factors like age, activity level, and duration of tear. It also depends on the location of the injury, its type, and size. The outer one-third of the meniscus usually heals on its own owing to a rich blood supply. However, the inner two-thirds may require surgical treatment.
A few meniscal injuries may not require surgery. Your orthopedic surgeon may opt for conservative treatment after your thorough clinical and radiological examination. You may also be advised for NSAIDs, Steroid Injections, and PRP & Viscosupplementation, that come under conservative treatment. Also, customized rehabilitation and physiotherapy regimens would be used for your early recovery.
In certain specific conditions and where non-surgical or conservative treatments have failed to relieve the pain and symptoms, your Orthopedic surgeon may suggest arthroscopic surgery.
Knee Arthroscopy is a commonly performed surgical procedure that uses a miniature camera inserted through a small incision in the knee. This helps the surgeon get a clear view of the inside of the knee. The surgeon then inserts the surgical instruments through small incisions to repair or trim the tear. The arthroscopy can be done for both Partial Meniscectomy and Meniscus Repair surgeries.
Meniscus repair is usually an outpatient procedure. The procedure is performed on a day-care basis and you can walk home with assistance the same day after the surgery. You may initially be kept in a recovery room till your anesthesia wears off and you may need someone to drive you home.
No, only the torn and unstable part of the meniscus is trimmed off and debrided. The surgery is called partial/ Subtotal meniscectomy.
Meniscus tear surgery helps you improve your mobility, get you back to sports and physical activities, provides more stability to your knee, and relieves pain and other symptoms.
The complete recovery after a meniscus repair surgery is usually attained after a few weeks to a few months and depends on whether the meniscus was trimmed or repaired. Meniscus repairs usually take longer to heal as compared to meniscectomy.
At CSI, our expert Orthopedic Surgeons will guide you through the step-by-step process of recovering after a meniscus repair surgery in Delhi. We have a team of top orthopedic surgeons in India, who help you recover through specific stages of the physiotherapy regimes and give the best surgery outcomes for your meniscus tear repair surgery.
CSI is a one-stop solution for all orthopedic-related problems as we provide a holistic approach to treating your meniscus tear treatment in Delhi, India. Backed by a team of the best physiotherapists and rehabilitation experts in India, CSI Physiocare is a center of excellence for physiotherapy in Delhi.
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