ORTHOPAEDICS
Meniscal repair For a torn meniscus
Meniscal repair is designed to restore a damaged meniscus and preserve tissue in your knee.
Overview
The meniscus is a c-shaped piece of rubbery cartilage in the knee joint. It can become torn through sudden injury or wear-and-tear over time. Meniscal repair is designed to restore the meniscus and help preserve tissue in your knee.
What are the risks involved?
All surgery has risks and the potential for complications. Talk to your surgeon about any concerns you may have before you decide on treatment. Some of the possible risks and complications for meniscal repair surgery include:
Blood clotting
Blood clotting problems – such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE) – may occur after surgery and interrupt normal blood flow. Your medical team may recommend medications and exercises to reduce the risk.Infection
Infection may occur at the surgical site or elsewhere in the body. Your medical team will provide information about how to watch for this problem.Pneumonia
After surgery, pneumonia or other breathing problems may develop. Your medical team may recommend measures to reduce the risk.Nerve problems
Though uncommon, nerves or blood vessels in the knee area may be damaged during surgery.Long-term pain and stiffness in the knee
In some cases, pain and stiffness may continue after surgery. Movement of the knee may become restricted. Following the recovery guidelines of your medical team may help reduce this risk.
This is not a complete list of risks. In some cases, you may need additional surgery to address a complication. Talk to your surgeon about the possible risks for your specific health situation.
Disclaimers
All information provided on this website is for informational purposes only and is not meant as medical advice. Not everyone is a candidate for meniscal repair surgery, and individual results of surgery will vary. Every patient's case is unique, and each patient should follow his or her doctor's specific instructions. Please discuss nutrition, medication, and treatment options with your doctor to make sure you are getting the proper care for your particular situation. If you are seeking this information in an emergency, please call 911 and seek emergency help.
40711 10/2023
Citations
1. Stein T, Mehling AP, Welsch F, von Eisenhart-Rothe R, Jäger A. Long-term outcome after arthroscopic meniscal repair versus arthroscopic partial meniscectomy for traumatic meniscal tears. Am J Sports Med. Year; 38(8):1542-1548.
2. Papalia R, Del Buono A, Osti L, Denaro V, Maffulli N. Meniscectomy as a risk factor for knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review. British Medical Bulletin. 2011;99:89-106.
3. Pujol N, Tardy N, Boisrenoult P, Beaufils P. Long-term outcomes of all-inside meniscal repair. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2015;23(1):219-224.
4. Zimmerer A, Sobau C, Nietschke R, Schneider M, Ellermann A. Long-term outcome after all inside meniscal repair using the FasT-Fix system. J Orthopaedics. 2018;15:602-5.
5. Beamer BS, et al. Changes in Contact Area in Meniscus Horizontal Cleavage Tears Subjected to Repair and Resection. Arthroscopy. 2017;33(3): 617-624.
6. Zhang AL, Miller SL, Coughlin, DB, Lotz, JC, Feeley, BT. Tibiofemoral contact pressures in radial tears of the meniscus treated with all-inside repair, inside-out repair and partial meniscectomy. The Knee. 2015;22(5): 400-404.
7. Chung KS, Ha JK, Yeom CH, et al. Comparison of Clinical and Radiologic Results Between Partial Meniscectomy and Refixation of Medial Meniscus Posterior Root Tears: A Minimum 5-Year Follow-up. Arthroscopy. 2015;31(10):1941-1950.
8. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website. Accessed May 15, 2023. https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/meniscus-tears/
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