Meniscal Repair Surgery

 

The meniscus, is made up for 2 C-shaped discs of cartilage (soft tissue) which connect your thigh bone to your shinbone.  These are called menisci and they act as shock absorbers for the knees and help to keep the knee stable.

 

The knee joint is made up of 3 bones and although it is a tough, strong joint, it is not necessarily the most flexible when it comes to rotating in certain directions.  Certain activities, particularly contact sports which involve a degree of twisting your knee, place a lot of stress on the knee which can result in a tear of the meniscus.  Typical sports that are prone to menisci tears include hockey, football and basketball, although regular kneeling, squatting, lifting heavy objects and age related wear and tear increases your risk of damaging the cartilage in your knee.

 

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Who is Suitable for this Procedure?

If you think you may have a meniscus tear, you are likely to experience symptoms such as swelling and stiffness of the leg.  You might also feel pain when twisting your knee, or be unable to straighten your leg fully.

 

You will need to visit your GP for a referral to see a specialist orthopaedic knee surgeon.  You will probably require an MRI scan to assess the damage of your tear and once diagnosed, treatment options will be discussed with you.  Many meniscal tears can be treated conservatively through the use of steroid injections, anti-inflammatory medication and physical therapy.  However, some meniscal tears may require surgery.

 

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Types of Meniscal Repair Surgery

Should you require surgery, your consultant will carry out an arthroscopic meniscus repair which involves putting a small camera into the incision site.  Depending on the severity of the tear, your surgeon will choose one of 3 options.

 

Arthroscopic Repair 

Your surgeon will make small incisions into your knee where he will insert an arthroscope to look into the tear. Small tacks will then be placed along the tear to stitch it up. Your body will absorb them over time.

 

Arthroscopic Partial Meniscectomy 

Your surgeon will remove a piece of the torn meniscus so your knee can function normally again.

 

Arthroscopic Total Meniscectomy 

During this procedure, your surgeon will remove the whole meniscus.

 

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What are the Expected Results?

Rehabilitation after meniscus repair surgery is crucial to gaining full use of the knee again.  It is important that you allow the torn meniscus to heal, and certain activities must be restricted to avoid placing excessive stress on the healing meniscus.  Deep flexion (bending) of the knee must be avoided as it places a high degree of stress on the repaired meniscus, and some patients are placed in a brace for a period of time in order to keep the knee stable.

 

Your surgeon is likely to recommend physiotherapy as part of your rehabilitation programme.  Your physiotherapy team will provide you with a set of exercises which will help increase your range of motion and strengthen the knee.  These exercises can be performed at home upon discharge from the hospital.

 

The recovery period varies for each patient, but you can expect your recovery to take approximately 1 – 3 months.

 

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Need Help?

At One Healthcare we can book you in to see a specialist Orthopaedic knee surgeon for an initial consultation, usually within 48 hours.  We perform able to perform many different surgeries on patient’s knees, including minimally invasive knee replacements and arthropscopic procedures, including ACL Reconstruction and Chondroplasty.   

 

One Ashford Hospital is well placed to see patients in Ashford, Maidstone, Canterbury, Folkestone, Dover and all surrounding areas. 

 

You can use your private medical insurance or pay for your Meniscal Repair Surgery treatment. We offer competitive, fixed price packages. If you are using your health insurance, please contact your insurer first for approval and let them know you’d like to be treated at One Ashford Hospital

Why One Ashford Hospital

• Access to leading Consultants within 48 hours*
• 0% and low finance options**
• Competitive fixed-price packages
• Modern purpose-built hospital
• Private, spacious, ensuite rooms
• Specialist Physiotherapy and nursing teams
• Little waiting time for surgery
• Calm, dignified experience

*Dependent on Consultant availability
**Terms and conditions apply

Contact us and find out more

If you are based in and around Kent, Maidstone, Dover, Canterbury or Folkestone and would like to visit the One Ashford Hospital please click here