
Three months following meniscal repair if pain and disability persist, a failed meniscal repair may be suspected and can be confirmed by performing a repeat arthroscopy Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure on a joint in which an examination and sometimes treatment of damage is performed using an arthroscope, an endoscope that is inserted into the joint through a small incision. Arthroscopic procedures can be performed durin…Arthroscopy
How can you know if a meniscus repair failed?
Why Do Meniscus Tears Recur?
- Sudden Twisting and Turning. This is one of the most common causes of meniscus tears; hence, it is a leading reason for a repeat injury.
- Torn ACLs. The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) is another common injury, especially with athletes and sportspersons.
- Falling. ...
- Failed Surgery. ...
- Infection. ...
What happens if you leave a torn meniscus untreated?
- Meniscus – It acts like a shock absorber for your knees and it’s located just between the tibia and femur. ...
- Ligaments – All the bones in our body are joined with ligaments. ...
- Tendons – Your muscles are connected with bones by tendons. ...
- Collateral ligaments – Collateral ligaments are found at the side of your knees. ...
How long does it take to recover from meniscus surgery?
Though the surgery to repair a meniscus tear alone is not terribly long, the recovery time can last anywhere from three weeks to six months for a full return to activity. As with any injury, recovery time for meniscus surgery will depend on the severity of the surgery (full removal or repair, for example), location of the injury, as well as any other damage that was done to the knee.
What is the recovery time for a meniscus repair?
Meniscus repair is considered when:
- the patient is healthy and wishes to remain active,
- the patient understands the rehabilitation, and accepts the risks of surgery,
- the meniscus tear is located in the periphery of the meniscus,
- the meniscus tissue is of good quality, and
- the surgeon is experienced in meniscus repair

How often does a meniscus repair fail?
Results: A total of 954 meniscal repairs were performed on 918 patients (536 male patients [58%]; 382 female patients [42%]) with a mean age of 26 years (range, 12-60 years). The failure rate for the entire cohort was 22.5%.
What if a meniscus root repair fails?
Following a failed meniscal repair your doctor will recommend conservative therapy with pain medication and activity modification if the symptoms are minimal. If a residual tear is diagnosed, the meniscus may be trimmed before considering a second surgical repair of the meniscus.
How do I know if I retore my meniscus?
Individuals with a meniscus tear often complain of pain along the joint line. They often have pain or weakness with bending the knee and sometimes they have a catching or locking sensation. With an acute tear, individuals may notice a lot of swelling in the knee and often report that they heard or felt a pop.
Can you Retear a repaired meniscus?
An attempt should be made to preserve meniscal function by repairing tears, but even after arthroscopic confirmation of stable healing repaired menisci may tear again. The long-term rate of healing may not be as high as is currently reported.
Should my meniscus still hurt after surgery?
knee to be swollen, and your foot and ankle may be swollen as well due to gravity. The fluid in your knee often remains there for at least 4-6 weeks after surgery until your body can reabsorb it. This fluid will make your knee feel tight or stiff, especially with deep knee bending or squatting.
Why is my knee catching after meniscus surgery?
Knee popping after meniscus surgery can occur due to fluid accumulation, scar tissue, swelling and stretching of the tendon and ligaments, weakened leg muscles, changes in patellar tracking, underlying knee arthritis, unstable meniscus, and inflamed plica.
Can you have meniscus surgery twice?
If a patient underwent a surgical meniscus repair and still experiences pain and swelling, or if a patient re-tears the cartilage, a revision meniscus repair may be necessary. Dr.
Why does my knee hurt months after meniscus surgery?
Most meniscal surgeries (95%) are partial meniscectomies where part of the meniscus is actually removed, not just repaired. Therefore, the remaining meniscus is now smaller and does not perform as well.
What happens if knee arthroscopy fails?
Knee arthroscopy is widely acknowledged to be a safe procedure [4, 6]. Still, there are also known serious complications such as joint infection, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and there are even deaths reported [5, 7, 8].
Why does my meniscus keeps tearing?
Meniscus tears are common in people of all ages, but are more likely to occur as you get older and your tissues begin to degrade. Athletes frequently suffer meniscus tears because of the tremendous forces they put on their knees while jumping, running, or twisting.
Can you have a second knee arthroscopy?
Research benefits. Although many arthroscopy surgeons may not use second-look arthroscopy to assess healing progress in asymptomatic patients, sources told Orthopedics Today taking a second, arthroscopic look at the knee joint may be helpful in the research setting.
Can a meniscus root tear get worse?
The bone nearby can frequently become inflamed, causing significant pain. Studies have shown that the majority of patients who suffer medial meniscus root tears which cannot be repaired undergo a rapid progression of arthritis in that region and progress to knee replacement within 5 years, and many within 1 year.
Why does my knee still hurt 4 months after meniscus surgery?
Most meniscal surgeries (95%) are partial meniscectomies where part of the meniscus is actually removed, not just repaired. Therefore, the remaining meniscus is now smaller and does not perform as well.
Can a Meniscectomy fail?
The macroscopic and microscopic signs of failure of articular cartilage after meniscectomy have also been demonstrated by animal models,19,20 ranging from fibrillation of the surface to necrosis and loss of the cartilage layer.
Why does the back of my knee hurt after meniscus surgery?
Too much meniscus is removed. People have knee pain after meniscus surgery because some of them had too much meniscus removed. The meniscus is a pad. It acts as a shock absorber to prevent the bottom of the thigh bone from crashing into the top of the shin bone.
What to do if meniscus tear fails?
Ask Dr. Geier – Meniscus tears in young athletes. If a meniscus repair fails, the surgeon usually performs a second surgery to trim out the tear. As with any partial meniscectomy, that trimming relieves pain but does decrease the amount of meniscus remaining.
How long does it take for a meniscus to heal?
A meniscus repair can take 8 to 16 weeks to completely heal. The surgeon will often limit knee motion and stress on the repair for some of that time to increase the chance that it heals. He likely will keep the athlete out of sports for months after surgery to protect the repair.
Why is MRI after surgery confusing?
An MRI in the early weeks after surgery can be confusing because the repair might not be expected to have fully healed yet. Also a regular MRI might fail to demonstrate the difference between scar tissue within the repair and a new or continued tear.
Can a meniscus tear be repaired?
Meniscus tears in certain locations and orientations can be repaired, meaning the surgeon can sew the tear together with stitches. That is great when it is possible because it can preserve the entire meniscus rather than trimming out the torn portion. If it heals, the entire meniscus remains to serve as a shock absorber.
What is a failed meniscus?
Failed Meniscus Repair. The meniscus is a C-shaped cartilage that functions as a cushion between the long bones of the shin and thigh. A forceful twisting of the knee while bearing weight on it can result in a torn meniscus. Small tears in the meniscus often heal with rest. Moderate tears on the outer edge of the meniscus tend to respond favorably ...
How to repair meniscus in knee?
Meniscal repair may be performed either by open surgery under direct vision or minimally invasively using an arthroscope, which is a thin tube fitted with a camera that can be inserted into the knee through a very small incision to locate and repair the damaged meniscus.
What to do after meniscal tear?
Following a failed meniscal repair your doctor will recommend conservative therapy with pain medication and activity modification if the symptoms are minimal.
Can a meniscus tear heal?
Small tears in the meniscus often heal with rest. Moderate tears on the outer edge of the meniscus tend to respond favorably to surgical repair. However, the deeper the tear, the less likely it is to heal after surgical repair.
How to tell if meniscus is in trouble?
Swelling. Catching or locking of the knee joint. Inability to fully extend or bend the knee joint. Limping. If you feel any of the symptoms above, you need to take a few days off.
What is a severe tear in the meniscus?
Severe. A tear is usually labeled as severe if the meniscus has a big tear. Loose pieces may cause the knee joint to lock or catch. This level of injury may also keep you from bending or straightening your leg and can make walking difficult. Severe tears usually require surgery to repair.
How common is a meniscus tear?
Like many parts of the body, the meniscus can wear down with age. Tears are more common among men and women over age 30. More than 40% of people age 65 or older have torn their meniscus at some point.
How many types of meniscus injuries are there?
There are generally three types of meniscus injuries, which are categorized by the extent of the tear:
Where is the meniscus located?
The meniscus is located in the knee at the conjunction of three bones: the thigh bone, kneecap bone, and shinbone. The meniscus is a rubbery disc that cushions all of these bones and keeps them from rubbing against each other.
Can a tear on the knee hurt?
Moderate. These tears are more painful, with pain possible on both the side and center of the knee. Moderate tears can impede your ability to walk, but they generally heal on their own. Swelling and discomfort usually grow the first few days but eventually go down with rest.
Can a meniscus tear be prevented?
Meniscus injuries can happen at any time and are one of the most frequently occurring cartilage injuries of the knee. While you can’t always prevent a meniscus tear, you can keep it from getting worse. In this blog, the health specialists at the practice of Struan Coleman, MD, PhD, discuss what a meniscus tear is and the signs you can look ...
How to repair a meniscus tear?
If your doctor’s exam shows your meniscus tear is mild (Grade 1 or 2), you may not need surgery. If it’s Grade 3, you probably will. Your doctor might choose to do any of the following: 1 Arthroscopic repair. Your doctor will make small cuts in your knee. They’ll insert an arthroscope to get a good look at the tear. Then they’ll place small devices that look like darts along the tear to stitch it up. Your body will absorb these over time. 2 Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy. Your doctor will remove a piece of the torn meniscus so your knee can function normally. 3 Arthroscopic total meniscectomy. During this procedure, your doctor will remove the whole meniscus.
What happens if you tear your meniscus?
If you tear your meniscus, your leg might swell and feel stiff. You might feel pain when twisting your knee, or be unable to straighten your leg fully.
What to do if you have a grade 3 knee tear?
If it’s Grade 3, you probably will. Your doctor might choose to do any of the following: Arthroscopic repair. Your doctor will make small cuts in your knee. They’ll insert an arthroscope to get a good look at the tear. Then they’ll place small devices that look like darts along the tear to stitch it up.
How to repair a tear in the knee?
Arthroscopic repair. Your doctor will make small cuts in your knee. They’ll insert an arthroscope to get a good look at the tear. Then they’ll place small devices that look like darts along the tear to stitch it up. Your body will absorb these over time.
How long does it take to recover from a meniscectomy?
They may also share some exercises you can do at home. If you have a partial or total meniscectomy, you can expect your recovery to take about a month.
Can a doctor remove a torn meniscus?
Your doctor will remove a piece of the torn meniscus so your knee can function normally. Arthroscopic total meniscectomy. During this procedure, your doctor will remove the whole meniscus. Meniscus repair is low-risk. Complications are rare. They may include injury to skin nerves, infections, and knee stiffness.
Can you have surgery for a knee injury?
This will help to strengthen the muscles around your knee and keep it stable. If these treatments don’t work -- or if your injury is severe -- they might recommend surgery. To be sure, your doctor will probably have an MRI done. And they might look at the tear with an arthroscope.
Advice please
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Patellar tendinitis help
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Shattered Patella advice
I (20F) shattered my patella while skating in late July 2021. I had surgery in early August, and I’m now able to start bending my knee. I’m at 40 degrees after 5 days, and I’m making sure to do a couple leg raises every day, but it still hurts. I can try to flex my quad but it doesnt fully flex because i dont have enough knee strength.
Popping sensation (not a bone) behind knee
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