Arthroscopy and Meniscus Surgery

Arthroscopic meniscus repair is an outpatient surgical procedure to repair torn knee cartilage.  A torn meniscus is diagnosed with a thorough history and physical exam. Traumatic meniscus tears often occur with twisting type or hyper-flexion injuries. 

The meniscus is an important structure for load transmission and shock absorption in the knee. The knee is subjected to up to 5 times your body weight during activity. Half this force is transmitted through the meniscus with the knee straight, and 85% of the force goes through the meniscus with the knee bent 90 degrees. Loss of the meniscus increases the pressure on the cartilage, which leads to degenerative changes. A successful meniscus repair preserves meniscus tissue and lessens these changes.

Arthroscopic surgery is recommended for meniscus tears. The basic principle of meniscus surgery is preservation of healthy meniscus. Meniscus repair is considered when: the patient is healthy and wishes to remain active, when the tear is located in the periphery of the meniscus, and when the meniscus tissue is of good quality.

Meniscus tears can be treated by meniscus removal, meniscus repair, or in unusual circumstances, meniscus replacement. Since the goal of surgery is to preserve healthy meniscus, meniscus repair is attempted when possible.  When performed by an experienced surgeon, meniscus repair is highly successful, with good results in approximately 90% of patients. Any knee that is injured has a higher likelihood of developing arthritis. A successful repair slows the development of arthritis.

Surgery for a meniscus tear is not an emergency. Arthroscopic meniscus repair is an elective procedure that can be scheduled to minimize disruption of patients’ lives. Results are maximized by repairing meniscus tears within the first two months of injury.