Meniscus Repair
The meniscus is an important structure within the knee which acts as a shock absorber between the bones. There is one on each side of the knee and they help spread out the forces applied to the knee over a larger area, circulate synovial fluid and are a secondary stabiliser of the knee joint along with the ligaments and natural knee geometry.
When there has been an acute meniscus injury, repair of the meniscus may be required and if so, should be undertaken as soon as possible. The operation is performed arthroscopically (key hole surgery) and the procedure involves reducing the displaced meniscus back to its original position and suturing it in place with special stitches. The outcome of meniscal repair is enhanced when there is optimal blood supply to the meniscus being fixed. This occurs when the patient is younger, the time to surgery is reduced and where the injury location is around the very periphery of the meniscus in a vertical orientation or at the root of the meniscus. Due to the function of the meniscus it is important repair the meniscus as much as possible. Occasionally when the meniscus is too badly torn or where healing is thought to be unlikely to occur, the meniscus will need to be trimmed back to a stable base conserving as much of the meniscus as possible. Meniscus repair also relies on a stable knee joint, and as such if there has been any associated knee ligament injury, the aim is to treat these ligament injuries at the same time to stabilise the knee.
Recovery from surgery depends on what has been performed. Where the meniscus has been trimmed then recovery is fairly rapid unless a ligament reconstruction has been performed simultaneously. If a meniscal repair has been performed, then recovery is usually slower to allow the meniscus to heal. You may be required to wear a knee brace which restricts your knee movement and use crutches for up to six weeks. If this is your right knee then driving may be limited only after this time when you have regained good strength, movement and function of your leg.