HealthTap uses cookies to enhance your site experience and for analytics and advertising purposes. If the lateral meniscus root tear is not repaired at the same time as an ACL reconstruction, it is now recognized that this could lead to ACL graft failure or loosening over time. Physical therapy exercises can help to improve muscle strength, knee range of motion, and decrease sensitivity to the pain. I have no issues taking the stairs, just a little knee discomfort here and there. Factors Affecting Meniscus Tear Healing and Prognosis AOSSM Lecture, What Does an Orthopedist Do? My calf swelled up into my ankles. A meniscus root repair involves reattaching the meniscus back to bone where it has been torn. Yet, if you feel discomfort, you can take over-the-counter pain medication. I would highly recommend Dr Burnham and all of his surrounding colleagues at Ochsner. In the early stages of your meniscus tear you can take these conservative and essential treatments which are as follows: Rest Ice every 15 minutes in every 4-6 hours Compression with an ACE wrap or sleeve Elevation of the leg Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) for pain. The general published success rate for a meniscus root repair is between 80% and 85%. Partial weightbearing status (<50%), unless otherwise ordered by MD. If the patient is not comfortable walking without an aid, then they are usually provided with axillary crutches. Thank you Dr. Burnham for being so amazing! Dr. Burnham and Jerrica did a great job taking care of all my orthopedic needs. There was a large grade 4 chondral defect involving the central aspect of the trochlea, approximately 30mm in width by 25mm in length. endobj Your knee will be swollen. In some severe cases, they cant fully extend their knee out or bend their knee all the way. <> I hung on to this MRI referral for a good month or so, because the knee was starting to feel better, and I was still able to train and attend my BJJ classes. They have poor healing potential, and are extremely important to the stability and cushioning of the knee. endobj Controlling inflammation and swelling is still a key in this Phase, as increased motion without proper use of cooling therapy may put your meniscus at risk for re-injury. %PDF-1.5 After Meniscus Surgery: What To Expect In The First Few Days And Weeks I did a little internet searching, and diagnosed myself with a Bakers Cyst, which I discovered was pretty common with meniscus tears. He answered all of my concerns about my knee. Being aware of the location of the meniscal attachments at the time of ACL and PCL surgeries is essential to minimize the chance of an iatrogenic root tear. I would have relied strictly on physical therapy. When I returned home around 1pm that day, I sat in my living room for a bit, emailing and texting people to let them know I was alive and well. That was day one. Is this normal? No, I didnt say pain free, or I didnt say get back to normal, just strong enough to get back to standing and walking because nobody wants to be in a wheelchair or not be able to get to the bathroom in time because of your knee not working right or being very painful. If youre watching this video today, and youre considering having a meniscus surgery for your knee, then youll want to listen closely so that you dont make this mistake after you have your meniscus surgery. So you need to just have that expectation right now if youre going to go get a surgery, or if youve already had one, if its been more than six months, or youre in that you know, past six months, six to 12 months range or longer since your meniscus surgery, then its okay as long as you dont have another tear or some other massive injury to it, you can probably get that swelling under control, regain your motion back as long as it hasnt been too long. Most patients will also have some numbness around the surgical incision, but this is not a true complication and is anticipated with any type of surgical incision. For potential or actual medical emergencies, immediately call 911 or your local emergency service. The torn meniscus is corrected via a minimally invasive procedure depending on the kind of injury. Meniscal Root Repair | Knee Specialist | Minnesota Bottom line, it was pretty clear from the MRI that if I wanted to be out of pain, surgery was my only option. importance of the meniscus root has become more apparent. Swelling and stiffness. So lets get to it. Therefore, the transtibial meniscus root repair technique is by far the most common procedure that is performed. While regular functionality isn't immediate, patients will be asked to move the knee within 1-2 days after surgery. A meniscus root tear can occur due to a traumatic event or degeneration. 3 0 obj I'm able to run and exercise without pain. If you had a knee surgery if youve been seen physical therapy or any other health care professionals and theyre telling you youll be fine in three months back to normal youll be dancing youll be exercising youll be playing with the grandkids again just smile and remember this video. This is because a lack of meniscus attachment at the root causes extra stress to be placed on an ACL graft and it can also result in the patient having more instability, both with anterior tibial translation, and with twisting and turning activities during the pivot shift, when there is a concurrent lateral meniscus root tear. Procedure for Meniscus Root Repair. It was press/bench day, so I set up for some seated presses and dragged a stool over to prop my left leg up while I benched. Diego has an automatic and it was my left knee that was incapaciated, not my right, so the next day, I hobbled into his car and practiced driving around the block. I have been walking and training normally for the past four and a half months. Dr. Burnham was very thorough and took the time to explain what he thought my root problem may be, why, and how he suggested we proceed with my care. This is done to protect the repair and let the body heal it. Please subscribe to this channel and turn on your notifications so that you dont miss a single video with great tips and advice that we put out every single week. Sit at home on the couch and watch T.V.? If the meniscus is extruded, the patient may not be having a restoration of their shock-absorbing capacity of the meniscus. One of the main portions of the system is a guide that can be placed inside the joint that fits around the tibial eminences and allows the surgeon to place the tip of the guide right at the area that has been decorticated of bone, where one wants to perform the root repair tunnel. This was devastating news after being a top triathlete (3rd in the world in my age group in 1989 & 1st nationally in my age group) and a big marathon runner. I also found that there were patients being referred to me who had meniscus root repairs that were done well, but the meniscus was not pulled back in the joint and these patients continued to have pain. What most people just dont get from their medical professionals is that the meniscus is a type of cartilage. Video chat with a U.S. board-certified doctor 24/7 in a minute. Wednesday: 8:00 am 5:00 pm I was going to rehab myself, and keep training as normally as I could. His extensive schooling, research, and commitment to his craft shined through at every turn as he evaluated my injury, presented all my options (clearly explaining non-surgical options and expected outcomes), and helped me plan my course of treatment and recovery. We love you! And cartilage is one of the slowest healing tissues in the body. In addition, the design of the meniscus is such that the full pressure of weight bearing activities is transmitted through the root of the meniscus, meaning that it is constantly pulling and stretching the tear with every step. After creating two transtibial tunnels, passing sutures through the detached root of the meniscus and down the tibial tunnels, the sutures are tensioned to reduce the root of the meniscus to anatomic position. I consulted with SSC and DPT Darin Deaton prior to my surgery and then afterwards, when I discovered it had been a meniscus root repair. The knee will be swollen for 2-3 months. Meniscus Root Repair | Orthopedic Knee Surgeon | Vail, Aspen, Denver amount of, supply and beyond the age of 15 has limited healing without surgery. In particular, these younger patients have to look at a meniscus root repair as soon as possible to ensure that they dont develop arthritis. They explain things very well. PDF Meniscal Root Repair Post-operative Orders Meniscal Repair. Meniscus repair rehab protocol. But typically physical therapy goes two to three months you get 80% better and a lot of times people have the expectation setting themselves that they can get back to everything that theyre doing before and thats just not the case they can do a lot of things now that they couldnt before the surgery typically. A Guide to Orthopedic Care, Pediatric & Adolescent Sports Medicine Injuries, Get the Perfect Grip on Your Next Game: Adaptive Golf Gloves, Healthcare Journal of Baton Rouge Mentions Dr. Burnham Performing New Surgery to Repair Torn ACL, Sports Medicine Near Me: Finding the Right Doctor for You, When to See a Doctor for Knee Pain When Bending: The Complete Guide, 11 Benefits of Exercise: It Can Change Your Life, Knee Bursitis: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options, Your Childs Knocked Knees: Everything You Need to Know, BioUni OATS Procedure Cartilage Replacement for the Knee, Capsulorraphy Shoulder Stabilization Procedure. In addition, if the medial meniscus is involved, active Everyone I was in contact with, from support staff to Dr. Burnham, was kind, friendly, competent, and generous with time and information. When I woke up I was in significant pain but the nurses had it under control by the time I left. Driving after meniscus surgery My daughter injured her ankle in cross country practice and we were able to get in the next day to see Dr. Burnham. Darin helped me understand that it was going to be a very slow recovery due to the nature of the surgery, and to be patient. This technique allows one to place passing stiches up the cannula, which has significantly decreased the operative time. There are many factors that go into this, including a patients weight, with overweight patients putting more stress on the meniscus root tear, ones alignment, where one being bowlegged with a medial meniscus root repair putting extra stress on the repair, and also the amount of underlying arthritis present prior to the root repair. What to do if I have a radial meniscus tear, what's the chance of it fully healing with surgery? Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone. They are also important to the stability and function of the knee, keeping the meniscus in place. When the tear is examined during arthroscopy, Dr. Hess will decide if the tear is able to be repaired . He has a great rapport with teenagers. Your doctor put a lighted tubecalled an arthroscope or scopeand other surgical tools through small cuts (incisions) in your knee. Meniscus root tears - a devastating injury - Dr. Bu Balalla (it is still a bit swollen). repair to heal. Therefore, most meniscus root tears need to have the scar tissue released so the meniscus can be pulled back into the joint. Meniscus Injury - Sports Medicine Research - Mayo Clinic Using specific guides to ensure that one can place tunnels in the anatomic position and using self-capture devices, which have been devised to be small enough to not scuff up the cartilage, are some of the best means to perform a transtibial meniscus root repair with self-capture devices. It is vital that meniscus repair patients do not squat for at least four months after the repair. If it is the right knee, the average time until the patient is able to drive is 6-9 weeks.