Repairing a meniscus tear

What is the recovery time for a meniscus repair? Can a torn meniscus heal itself? What are the best exercises for a torn meniscus? He’ll insert an arthroscope to get a good look at.

Techniques of meniscus repair include using arthroscopically placed tacks or suturing the torn edges.

Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy. Both procedures function by reapproximating the torn edges of the meniscus to allow them to heal in their proper position and not get caught in the knee causing the symptoms described above. A torn meniscus often can be identified during a physical exam.

Treatment for a torn meniscus often begins conservatively, depending on the type, size and location of your. For the moderately injure you might want to make use of crutches to keep your weight off your knee for a while. Most doctors will advise against a brace, though, because those straighten the leg , which puts more pressure on the tear and can make the injury hurt more. Meniscus Repair Surgery.

When treating a meniscus tear , one must first identify if meniscus repair surgery is required.

Most of the meniscal tears , especially chronic ones, can be treated without a surgery. The non surgical treatment options include, strengthening exercises, anti inflammatory injections and physical therapy. Since the meniscus helps protect the knee from wear and tear , surgeons try to repair the meniscus whenever possible.

However, most meniscus tears are not considered repairable. The meniscus has a limited blood supply, and tears in areas of little or no blood flow have a high risk of not healing. The goal of surgery is to preserve the meniscus by repairing or removing the torn part. The procedure is typically done arthroscopically, meaning a small camera is inserted into a tiny incision in the knee to guide the surgeon in repairing or removing the tear using small instruments inserted into another tiny incision. It will reduce the pressure on your knee and meniscus for immediate relief and prevents sudden twitches of your knee.

Put this anti-inflammatory cream on your knee to reduce swelling and inflammation and thus your pain. In other cases, however, a torn meniscus requires surgical repair. Safe and Effective with Natural Ingredients. The pattern of the tear is also important. A: If you think you’ve torn your meniscus, Dr.

Parker recommends trying the steps spelled out in RICE as the first line of defense: Rest. Compression (wrap it or wear a knee brace). Some meniscal tears can be repaired by suturing (stitching) the torn pieces together.

Whether a tear can be successfully treated with repair depends upon the type of tear , as well as the overall condition of the injured meniscus.

In addition to repairing the meniscus , surgeons can also simply remove a piece of damaged cartilage. This is known as a meniscectomy. If the patient with a meniscus tear is young and active, the surgeon will try to perform a repair rather than a meniscectomy, when possible. Talk with your doctor if you have questions about treating your meniscus tear.

Tears are usually described by where they are located anatomically in the C shape and by their appearance (for example, bucket handle tear , longitudinal, parrot beak, and transverse). Otherwise, most tears do not heal unless they are sutured back together. Bottom Line: The meniscus serves a very important function within our knee.

Like a lot of knee injuries, a meniscus tear can be painful and debilitating. In fact, a meniscal tear is one of the most frequently occurring cartilage injuries. Find out the most common and annoying causes of knee pain right now.

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