Arthroscopic meniscus repair is moderately painful. Because more soft tissue surgery is performed, it is more painful than a standard arthroscopy, but less painful than a ligament reconstruction or another procedure that requires drilling holes through the bone.
Recovery from arthroscopic meniscus tear surgery is relatively quick, and most people can resume normal activities within a few weeks depending on the size of the tear and the repair involved. The pain relief is dramatic, and the postoperative incision pain is quite minimal.
An uncomplicated meniscectomy will resolve most of the pain fairly quickly, but swelling and stiffness take time to resolve. It may take 4-5 months for full healing. The patient should be able to bear weight on the knee while standing or walking, immediately after surgery.
Take the pain medication as prescribed. you take the medication and taper off as you feel comfortable, but keep in mind that many people have an increase in pain around day 3 or 4 after 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.
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.
Answer: Immediately after surgery you will learn to climb stairs safely using crutches. As recovery continues and you work on flexion and extension of the new knee, you will be able to climb without crutches. With the help of physical therapy and building up the quadriceps muscles, stair climbing will be a breeze.
You can fully extend (straighten the knee). To avoid placing stress on the meniscus repair, do not bend your knee beyond 90 degrees (bent to a right angle). Brace and Crutches: Unless otherwise instructed by your doctor, use crutches when walking and bear weight as tolerated on the operated leg.
Sleep on your back with the leg slightly elevated
Keeping the leg elevated (but not bent!) encourages healthy circulation, which helps keep pain and swelling in check. This position also helps you avoid bumping the incision site, which can lead to bleeding and infection.
You may shower 24 to 48 hours after surgery, if your doctor okays it. When you shower, keep your bandage and incisions dry by taping a sheet of plastic to cover them. If you have a brace, take it off if your doctor says it is okay. It might help to sit on a shower stool.
Operative management. Currently, there are three main methods for the surgical management of meniscus tears: meniscectomy, meniscal repair, and meniscal reconstruction.
In individuals with a degenerative meniscal tear, surgery should be reserved for those with painful clicking, locking, buckling, or recurrent swelling or for those who do not have improved pain or function following a course of conservative treatment.
The vast majority of patients with continued knee pain after a meniscus surgery have pain associated with the loss of articular cartilage. In these cases, the use of autologous stem cell-rich bone marrow or adipose (fat) tissue is an excellent option.
Arthroscopic meniscus repair typically takes about 40 minutes to perform, and usually you will be able to leave the hospital the same day. There are three main types of meniscus repairs. Your surgeon chooses a technique based on the location of the tear and his or her experience with the techniques.
It usually takes about 4 to 8 weeks for patients to increase weight bearing and range of motion. Most patients can walk without a knee brace and crutches in about 2 to 3 months. Recovery time from a partial meniscectomy (partial removal of the meniscus) is quicker than recovery from a meniscus repair.
Meniscus (cartilage) Repair patients cannot do twisting, pivoting, squatting, deep knee bends or impact activities for four months. It is vital that meniscus repair patients do not squat for at least four months after the repair.
Avoid activities that aggravate your knee pain, especially any activity that causes you to twist, rotate or pivot your knee. If your pain is severe, using crutches can take pressure off your knee and promote healing. Ice. Ice can reduce knee pain and swelling.
Avoid using stair-stepper machines, doing deep knee bends and squats. Avoid any exercise that causes crunching, clicking or pain at the kneecap.
Radial Meniscus Tear
These types of tears are found in the avascular area of the meniscus, which means there is no blood flowing to this area. Because of this, it's exceedingly difficult for this type of injury to heal naturally.
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.
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.
Most people have meniscal transplant surgery without any problems. Rarely, complications happen, like: Stiffness of the joint after surgery (more common) Incomplete healing.
Arthroscopic total meniscectomy.
Complications are rare. They may include injury to skin nerves, infections, and knee stiffness. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to help stave off infection. They may also recommend compression stockings to help prevent blood clots.