How risky is meniscus repair?

That being said, meniscus repair is a safe procedure with a complication rate of 1.3%. The most common complications are injuries to skin nerves, the vast majority of which resolve without additional procedures by three months post surgery. Injury to larger nerves or blood vessels is rare, as are blood clots.

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What is the survival rate of meniscus surgery?

Success rates after meniscal repair range from 60% to 95%, but many reports are based on a small number of patients.

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Is meniscus surgery a major surgery?

If a meniscus tear is considered appropriate for an attempt at repair, a number of techniques can be used. The surgery is primarily arthroscopic (minimally invasive) although additional small incisions, or cuts, may be necessary to perform the repair. A variety of devices or sutures can be used to perform a repair.

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What can go wrong after meniscus surgery?

Knee pain, osteoarthritis, re-injury, inadequate rehabilitation, and spontaneous osteonecrosis are potential long-term problems after meniscus surgery.

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Can you walk immediately after meniscus surgery?

Most people can walk with crutches soon after meniscus surgery. Many return to normal activities within six to eight weeks. Your healthcare provider may recommend low-impact activities rather than high-impact (such as walking rather than running). If you have a physical job, you may need extra time off work to recover.

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The DANGERS of Meniscus Surgery!

37 related questions found

When should you not have meniscus surgery?

For instance, if the meniscus tear is mild, which would be a Grade 1 or 2, you will most likely not need surgery. However, if your injury is more severe at a Grade 3 rating, then your doctor might discuss your surgery options.

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Is meniscus repair surgery worth it?

What are the benefits? Surgery to repair tears in the meniscus relieves symptoms 85% of the time. That means that of 100 people who have this surgery, 85 have relief from pain and can use their knee normally, while 15 do not. Surgery to repair tears may reduce the risk of long-term joint problems.

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Is meniscus repair better than removal?

In most patients, meniscus tear repair is preferred over meniscus removal. That's because studies have shown when the meniscus is repaired and preserved, patients tend to experience better overall healing and better long-term joint function.

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What's the worst type of meniscus tear?

What type of meniscus tear is the worst? Bucket-handle meniscus tears are the most serious type of meniscus injury. They often occur alongside a ligament injury. Bucket-handle tears require prompt surgery in order to have the best possible chance of recovery.

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Can you live with a completely torn meniscus?

Not necessarily. Left untreated, a meniscus tear can limit your daily life and ability to participate in exercise and sports. In serious cases, it can develop into long-term knee problems, like arthritis.

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Do you ever fully recover from a meniscus tear?

Small tears often heal on their own, while others may require arthroscopic surgery. Most people fully recover from a torn meniscus and can get back to doing their favorite activities without knee pain.

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Can you live with a torn meniscus for years?

A torn meniscus is certainly not life threatening. Once treated, the knee will usually function normally for many years. A meniscal tear that catches, locks the knee, or produces swelling on a frequent or chronic basis should be removed or repaired before it damages the articular (gliding) cartilage in the knee.

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Is meniscus worse than ACL?

Many ACL tears we see only have problems ascending stairs, jogging, or walking downhill but can walk up hills and on flat roads without an increase in pain. A meniscus tear, on the other hand, will cause fairly severe pain even just standing on it.

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Is meniscus surgery worse than ACL?

A meniscal repair will help reduce the effects of osteoarthritis because the damaged cartilage is repaired and saved versus being removed. An ACL may possibly have the least long term effects. Some patients may have decreased strength of the operated side and increased patellar tendinitis.

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Will walking on a torn meniscus make it worse?

Continuing to walk on the affected leg can aggravate your symptoms, making pain and stiffness worse in as little as a few days. Plus, suffering a torn meniscus may also increase your risk of complications, like developing osteoarthritis in that knee.

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Can you live without a meniscus in your knee?

Living without a meniscus can increase your risk of osteoarthritis and chronic (long-term) knee pain. A torn or injured meniscus can also lead to osteoarthritis. This condition happens when other cartilage in the knee wears away, causing pain and stiffness.

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Is a meniscus tear career ending?

The athlete with a meniscal tear is often treated with meniscectomy or meniscal repair, depending on the size and location of the tear. Potential sequelae of meniscal injuries include the loss of in-season competition days and diminished career longevity.

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How many meniscus repairs are successful?

The success rate for meniscal repairs healing up is about 90%. The rehab and recovery after meniscal repair is slower than it is after just a meniscal trim (partial meniscectomy).

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Will my knee be the same after meniscus surgery?

It has also been shown that a knee that has undergone meniscus surgery has weaker thigh muscles and poorer quality of cartilage 4 years after the surgery [3]. This is also thought to increase the risk of arthritis.

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What is the success rate of meniscus root repair?

The general published success rate for a meniscus root repair is between 80% and 85%.

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What are 3 signs of a meniscus tear in the knee?

Symptoms of a Meniscus Tear
  • A popping sensation when the injury occurs.
  • Swelling or stiffness.
  • Pain, especially when twisting or rotating the knee.
  • Difficulty fully straightening the knee.
  • "Locked" feeling when trying to move the knee.

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What are the 3 types of meniscus repairs?

Operative management. Currently, there are three main methods for the surgical management of meniscus tears: meniscectomy, meniscal repair, and meniscal reconstruction.

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What is considered a severe meniscus tear?

Meniscus tears, indicated by MRI, are classified in three grades. Grades 1 and 2 are not considered serious. They may not even be apparent with an arthroscopic examination. Grade 3 is a true meniscus tear and an arthroscope is close to 100 percent accurate in diagnosing this tear.

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Do most people have torn meniscus?

Meniscus tears are among the most common knee injuries, affecting approximately 1 million people in the U.S. each year. A healthy knee joint contains two meniscuses, C-shaped structures made of cartilage. The one on the inside of the knee is the medial meniscus; the one on the outside is the lateral meniscus.

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What is the most painful knee tear?

The quick answer is that the ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) is most likely to be considered the worst ligament in the knee to tear.

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