I have a torn meniscus, can they put a new one in?

February 6th — admin

I’m 26-years old and at the peak of my career in athletics. I also have a torn meniscus that can’t be repaired. If I have it removed, can they put a new one in?

Artificial cartilage is still in the laboratory and in experimental studies. Some surgeons are using allograft tissue for young patients with severe meniscal damage. Allograft means it comes from a donor. In this case cadaver tissue is used (meniscus harvested after the donor’s death).

Careful rehab after the transplant can result in return to normal activities including sports. The implant is not foolproof however. New trauma can cause a new tear or injury to the allograft. Surgery to repair it may be all that’s needed. But a complete tear may result in allograft removal.

Postoperative tears are more common in older patients and in people who’ve had multiple knee surgeries already. Most patients have a good to excellent result with graft survival in 90 percent of recent cases reported.

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com. The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of a visit with your health care provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

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My repaired torn meniscus has failed. Are there specific reasons why this happens?

December 14th — admin

I had a torn meniscus that was repaired surgically but failed. The knee still locks up, swells up, and gets painful when it does. I’m probably a statistic — just one of those few patients who didn’t have a good repair. Are there specific reasons why this happens to people?

Surgeons want to know the answer to this question, too. So studies have been done trying to link characteristics of patients who had a failed result. They’ve looked at age, size of tear, and how long between the injury and the repair.

Some studies show a better healing rate when the tear is small and repaired quickly. Others don’t show the same results. Most studies have not been able to show any significant factors in meniscal healing.

The one exception is the patient who tore the meniscus and the anterior cruciate ligament. Repairing both at the same time seems to help meniscal healing. This is probably because there’s more bleeding and clots forming. This seems to help meniscal healing.

For the moment you are indeed part of a small number of people who didn’t get the results they hoped for or expected.

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com. The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of a visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

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Can the MCL heal without surgery?

August 17th — admin

I tore the medial collateral ligament in my knee. Is it true I don’t need surgery to repair it? I had to have surgery for a torn ACL. What’s the difference?

Studies show that the medical collateral ligament (MCL) heals faster and better than other ligaments. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) doesn’t heal well on its own. In fact animal studies have shown the MCL can be cut in half and still heal without surgery or immobilization. There’s even enough strength in the healed ligament to restore joint stability.

The joint can be restored to normal without surgery only when the MCL is the only ligament damaged. If the knee has a torn meniscus or torn ACL along with an injured MCL, then surgery is needed.

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com. The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of a visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

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The torn meniscus has been repaired, should I bother with a second surgery for the damaged anterior cruciate ligament?

January 26th — admin

I have a torn meniscus and a damaged anterior cruciate ligament in my left knee. The meniscus was repaired with arthroscopic surgery. The surgeon couldn’t repair the ligament at the same time. I’ll need a second surgery for that. Right now my knee is much better. Should I even bother having the ligament fixed?

One of the jobs of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is to keep the lower leg bone (tibia) from sliding too far forward on the upper leg bone (femur). A weak, lax, or insufficient ACL means higher stress on the knee cartilage.

The medial meniscus is affected the most. This is the C-shaped piece of cartilage on the inner (medial) side of the knee joint. Repairing the ACL will unload the medial meniscus and make it less prone to further damage or degeneration.

Your surgeon will be able to guide you in making this decision based on your symptoms, the result of tests, and the peek he or she had inside the joint during the meniscal repair. The results of many studies suggest a better long-term result if the ligament is repaired either at the same time as the meniscal tear or soon after.

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com. The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of a visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

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Is ganglion cyst common in middle-aged women?

December 13th — admin

I am a 53-year old woman newly diagnosed with a ganglion cyst in just below my knee. Is this common in women my age?

A ganglion cyst is a fluid-filled sac near a joint. The fluid from inside the joint leaks out through a channel and forms a pocket or cyst. This condition is slightly more common in men than women, but any adult can have a ganglion cyst. The exact cause of the problem isn’t known yet. In the knee, it may start to form after the meniscus is torn or damaged. It does seem to be more common in middle-aged adults.

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com.The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

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Trick knee not funny. What causes this?

June 3rd — admin

In the last six months I seem to have developed a “trick knee.” Without warning it will lock up. Then without rhyme or reason, it will start moving again. What causes this?

The most likely cause for this is a torn meniscus. If the outer curve of the meniscus is torn, the inner portion can get stuck in the notch or opening for the ligaments. The terms “trick knee” or “locked knee” are used to describe the condition.

Usually the knee can still bend but can’t straighten. Sometimes the inner portion of the meniscus can slip back into place. Then the knee seems to work fine again. A minor injury can displace the torn cartilage again.

Most surgeons advise repairing a small tear before another injury tears it completely. Have an orthopedic doctor take a look soon.

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com.The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

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Torn meniscus doesn’t always cause swelling

June 1st — admin

I tore the meniscus in my left knee while playing soccer on wet grass. I felt a wrenching sensation but kept playing because there wasn’t any swelling. I’m sure I reinjured it during the next game. Why didn’t the knee swell up to warn me of an injury?

There are two menisci between the shinbone (tibia) and thighbone (femur) in the knee joint. (Menisci is plural for meniscus.) The C-shaped medial meniscus is on the inside part of the knee, closest to your other knee. (Medial means closer to the middle of the body.) The U-shaped lateral meniscus is on the outer half of the knee joint. (Lateral means further out from the center of the body.)

The meniscus is thin but has a wedge shape when viewed from the side. The outer edge of the meniscus is thicker than the central part. There’s more blood supply to the outer edge. The inside or central part of the meniscus doesn’t have a blood supply. It gets its nutrients from the synovial fluid inside the joint.

The thicker wedge of the medial meniscus is attached to the joint capsule and ligaments. The thinner central portion is free to move in and out slightly during normal knee motion. Both parts of the meniscus work to give the knee joint a smooth fit and easy movement. Both functions are needed for the kinds of loads the knee holds up under.

Without a lot of blood vessels, injury results in pain but doesn’t cause swelling. A locking sensation or even “giving way” of the leg can occur when the meniscus is torn.

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com.The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

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Bucket handle tear explained

May 26th — admin

I hurt my knee in a biking accident. The doctor said I tore the meniscus and called it a bucket handle tear. What does that mean?

The meniscus is a C-shaped piece of cartilage in the knee joint. It helps the joint move smoothly and acts as a shock absorber. It can also help transfer the load through the joint.

The knee joint has two menisci (plural), the medial (inner portion) and lateral (outer portion). When the outer edge of the cartilage is torn, it looks like a crescent-shaped moon or bucket handle.

At one time it was thought the meniscus didn’t have any real function. A tear would result in surgery to remove the whole thing. Later scientists found this treatment led to joint damage and early arthritis. Now most surgeons prefer to repair the tear or just take out the torn section.

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com.The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

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