Meniscus
Tear of The Knee
This community message on Meniscus is prepared by Dr . Bae Kia Chuang , Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon , and brought to you by KPJ Johor Specialist Hospital .
What is Meniscus ?
The meniscus is a C-shaped piece of soft and fibrous cartilage cushions and acts as a shock absorber and stabilizer to the knee . You have both an inner and outer meniscus that help distribute the forces in the knee when you are weight-bearing . Without meniscus tissue , knee cartilage is more likely to degenerate and cause knee osteoarthritis .
The Symptoms The Treatment Diagnose Meniscus Tear
Pain and swelling are the most common signs of acute injury to your Meniscus . You may also feel like your knee is “ locked ” when you tried to move it if the damaged meniscus tissue is caught within the knee joint .
Initial treatment for a meniscus injury should include conservative management , such as rest , ice , compression , elevation , and anti-inflammatory medication . Physical therapy can help reduce pain and swelling by increasing mobility and stability .
If a meniscus tear is suspected , your physician will conduct a thorough health history and physical examination of the knee . MRI is the test of choice to confirm the diagnosis of a torn meniscus .
When To Consider Meniscus Surgery ?
If conservative treatment fails , your physician may recommend arthroscopic surgery . With the advancement of knee arthroscopy techniques , most damaged meniscus tissue can be repaired using the key-holes method . This operation can be done under daycare and take weeks of rehabilitation to recover fully .
If the meniscus tissue is badly damaged beyond repair , partial meniscectomy might be performed to relieve the locked tissue and improve pain .