Partial Menisectomy
There is no known medicine or therapy that will heal or fix a torn meniscus. It is a mechanical problem that often requires a mechanical solution. This usually means either partial excision (removal) or repair of the tear. Excision versus repair is often decided at the time of arthroscopic surgery and will depend upon several factors. The patient’s age, the age of the tear, the size and location, as well as the patient’s activity level all play a role in deciding whether a tear can be repaired or must be excised. In general, due to the essential role of the meniscus in protecting the knee from early arthritis, repair is always preferable to removal.
Treatment
The choice of type of surgery is based on the size and location of the tear, your age and activity level, the surgeon’s experience, and your preferences.
Orthopedic surgeons at Peninsula Bone & Joint Clinic most often perform meniscus surgery with arthroscopy, a procedure used to both examine and repair the inside of a joint.
A thin tube (arthroscope) containing a camera and light is inserted through small incisions near the joint.
Surgical instruments are inserted through other small incisions.
Arthroscopic surgery may limit knee damage from surgery and may promote fuller recovery.
But some tears may require open knee surgery.
Treatment Highlights
