What are the 3 parts of the meniscus?

You can break up the meniscus into three zones, the anterior horn, the body, and the posterior horn. One of the problems the meniscus runs into is that because it is a cartilage, it lacks a certain amount of blood flow to the tissue for proper healing properties.

What is the difference between a meniscus repair and a meniscectomy?

Often a meniscus tear occurs with an injury to the ACL ligament. In this case, the surgery will repair the ligament and the meniscus. A meniscectomy is an arthroscopic procedure that removes the meniscus or trims the damaged meniscus tissue (also called a debridement).

Can a meniscus root tear heal without surgery?

The options for treatment of meniscus root tears are either nonoperative management with physical therapy and/or injections or operative management.

Can you recover naturally from a meniscus tear?

In the case of meniscus tears, some people think the injury will heal over time on its own. But the truth is that there are different types of meniscus tears — and some tears won’t heal without treatment. If your tear is on the outer one-third of the meniscus, it may heal on its own or be repaired surgically.

Which is better meniscus repair or removal?

In most patients, meniscus tear repair is preferred over meniscus removal. That’s because studies have shown when the meniscus is repaired and preserved, patients tend to experience better overall healing and better long-term joint function.

How serious is a meniscus root tear?

A meniscus root tear can totally destabilize the shock absorbing function of the meniscus and can lead to insufficiency fractures, spontaneous osteonecrosis of the knee (SONK) and early onset arthritis in patients.

Can you live with a meniscus root tear?

Studies have shown that the majority of patients who suffer medial meniscus root tears which cannot be repaired undergo a rapid progression of arthritis in that region and progress to knee replacement within 5 years, and many within 1 year. Excellent results have been obtained with surgical repair of the meniscus root.

Can you live without a meniscus in your knee?

Without a meniscus, you might gradually develop knee pain and arthritis of your joint. Replacing your meniscus may provide significant pain relief. It may also help prevent arthritis in your joint.

How do you fix a meniscus root tear?

In a meniscus root tear, the meniscus is damaged near its attachment to the bone. In a ‘repair’ procedure, stitches are used to reattach the torn meniscus back to the bone. This is done by drilling a small tunnel in the bone from just below the knee, exiting where the meniscus tore away from the bone.

What is a meniscus?

A meniscus is a crescent-shaped fibrocartilaginous anatomical structure that, in contrast to an articular disc, only partly divides a joint cavity. In humans they are present in the knee, wrist, acromioclavicular, sternoclavicular, and temporomandibular joints; in other animals they may be present in other joints.

What is a stable meniscus tear?

Incomplete and intrasubstance meniscus tears are considered “stable” injuries. That means they generally do not require surgical treatment. Radial tears of the meniscus (pictured in the middle of the top row on the image) are the most common type of meniscus tear. 3

What are meniscus cushions?

They are rubbery, C-shaped cushions that serve as shock absorbers in the knee joint. If your meniscus is injured or torn (often called torn cartilage), your healthcare provider may recommend surgery to remove the damaged part or repair it.

What are intrasubstance changes of the meniscus?

When people are in their 20s or 30s, doctors commonly see intrasubstance changes (also called incomplete tears) of the meniscus on an MRI. 2 Often, these kinds of tears are a sign of early degenerative changes of the meniscus. Degenerative changes are those that happen as a result of wear and tear and get worse over time.