Meniscus Repair

Meniscus injuries affect anywhere between 12 to 14% of adults, and they often occur together with an injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The team at Anchor Spine & Joint has extensive experience treating a damaged meniscus and performing a minimally invasive meniscus repair that relieves your pain and restores mobility. With convenient locations in Tampa, Riverview, Odessa, Pinellas Park, and Lutz, Florida, you can request an appointment by phone or online to learn more.

What is the meniscus?

The meniscus is inside your knee joint, and it consists of two C-shaped pieces of cartilage located on the top of the shin bone. Each meniscus reduces friction during movement, disperses body weight, absorbs shock, and helps to protect the articular cartilage.

What type of damage requires meniscus repair?

When you suffer a torn meniscus, there’s a good chance you’ll need surgical intervention. If you’re not active, the tear is minor, or the tear is in a part of the meniscus that will heal, you may get by without surgery. 

However, if you’re active or you intend to go back to playing competitive sports, you’ll probably need surgery to prevent ongoing instability and pain. Additionally, a torn meniscus that’s not repaired adequately with surgery sets the stage for arthritis.

What causes a meniscus tear?

Most meniscus tears occur when you twist your knee by quickly turning or pivoting while your foot stays in place. As you get older, degenerative changes that occur over time weaken the meniscus. As it deteriorates, it can easily tear during everyday movements.

What symptoms indicate I may need a meniscus repair?

You may not experience immediate symptoms. However, your knee becomes swollen and painful for two or three days after your injury. You may feel like your knee is going to buckle or collapse. If a piece of the meniscus comes loose and falls into the joint, your knee may slip or lock.

What type of meniscus repair will I need?

The type of meniscus repair your doctor performs depends on the location of the tear. The outer edge of the meniscus contains blood vessels, but the rest of the cartilage lacks a blood supply. While they perform surgery in both zones, only the red zone with the blood supply can heal. 

The Anchor Spine & Joint providers also specialize in using minimally invasive arthroscopy to repair a meniscus tear and have extensive experience in multiple techniques. One common procedure is an outer meniscus repair, in which they stitch the torn pieces in the red zone together so they can heal. In the white zone without blood, they may perform a partial meniscectomy to remove the damaged cartilage.

When your meniscus is severely damaged, your provider may recommend meniscal transplant surgery or a knee replacement.

When you experience knee pain and swelling, call Anchor Spine & Joint or schedule an appointment online.