Knee Cartilage Injury
The most commonly damaged cartilage in the knee are the fibrocartilaginous rings that form the Menisci. There is a medial meniscus that is found on the inner aspect of the weight bearing area and the lateral meniscus that resides in the outer weight bearing area. These half moon structures spread the weight bearing over a broad area of the tibial plateau, reducing the point pressures between the femur and tibia thus providing a shock absorbing function.
Meniscal Tears
Meniscal tears may occur in either on their own or associated with other ligamentous or chondral injuries.
The nuance is their treatment is related to your age, symptoms and other associated injuries or degenerative features present in the knee.
Meniscal preservation is important in trying to limit degenerative change. The choice to have surgical treatment needs to be tailored and the implications discussed during the consult with Dr Fleming. Options available for meniscal injuries includes meniscal repair, meniscal root repair, partial meniscectomy and conservative management with physiotherapy and possibly cortisone injection.
Surgery is performed via minimally invasive arthroscopic means using a small camera inserted into the joint and specially designed arthroscopic instruments.
