Arthroscopic Meniscus Repair: Restoring Knee Stability and Functionality
Explore the advanced solution of Arthroscopic Meniscus Repair, provided by Dr. Sunil Choudhary, to address meniscus injuries. Learn about meniscus tears, treatment options, and the post-operative journey toward recovery.
Understanding the Meniscus: The meniscus, found on either side of the knee, functions like a shock absorber, evenly distributing the body’s weight on the knee joint. The outer portion of the meniscus has a good blood supply, while the inner portion lacks blood supply.
Causes of Meniscus Tears:
- Injury: Twisting injuries during sports or accidents can lead to meniscus tears, often associated with ligament injuries.
- Degeneration: Tears can also result from the natural aging process, particularly in older individuals without significant injury.
Identifying Meniscus Tears: Common signs of a meniscus tear include a sensation of something blocking full knee extension and localized pain on the inside, outside, or back of the knee. An MRI is typically used to confirm the diagnosis.
Understanding Locking: Large tears can occasionally get lodged within the knee joint, preventing full knee extension. This phenomenon, known as locking, can cause discomfort and limited movement.
Treatment Options: Meniscus tears are preferably repaired whenever possible. The treatment choice depends on the tear type (injury-related or degenerative) and location (good blood supply or absent blood supply). Repair is successful in regions with good blood supply but removal is preferred in regions lacking blood supply due to limited healing potential.
Meniscus Repair Techniques: Specialized devices with strong sutures are used for meniscus repair:
- Inside Out: For body and posterior horn tears on the medial side.
- Outside In: For anterior horn and body tears.
- All Inside: For post-horn, root, and body tears.
Post-Operative Rehabilitation: After meniscus repair, patients are advised to wear a brace allowing knee movement of 0-90 degrees for 6 weeks. Weight-bearing is allowed as tolerated. The brace is removed after 6 weeks. Patients can usually walk unaided in 3 weeks and return to sports within 6 months.
Success Rate and Recovery: At Dr. Sunil Choudhary’s practice, 80-90% of meniscus tears are repaired, including those associated with ligament tears. The success rate exceeds 95%, with over 90% of patients returning to their pre-injury level of sports activity. Trust in Dr. Choudhary’s expertise to ensure successful outcomes in meniscus repair procedures.
