Meier Orthopedic

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Meniscus Tear

Overview

The meniscus is a C-shaped fibrocartilage structure in the knee that provides a cushioning and stabilizing effect between the two main bones of the knee, the femur and tibia. In each knee, there are two menisci, the medial meniscus positioned toward the inner portion of the knee and the lateral meniscus located toward the outer part.

The menisci help distribute weight-bearing load through the knee and share stress transmission with the articular cartilage that covers the ends of the bones where the bones contact one another. In this way, the menisci protect the delicate articular cartilage. At the same time, the very important menisci can sometimes be the weak link in the knee and become damaged with trauma. Meniscus injury can result from trauma such as twisting or hyperflexion of the knee joint. Also, with age, meniscus tissue can degenerate and become prone to tearing. When a meniscus tears, this can result in unstable tissue flaps in an area where the surfaces usually approximate closely and fit together intimately. This irregular tissue is a structural disruption that can cause painful irritation and inflammation in the knee. In addition to pain, meniscus tears can also cause knee swelling, catching, giving way, and joint locking. Most meniscus tears do not heal on their own because the inner two-thirds of the meniscus structure lacks a substantial blood supply.

There are several treatment options for meniscus tears that continue to be problematic despite an initial rest period, ice, and compression following the onset of symptoms. For decades, conventional treatment for meniscus tears has typically involved arthroscopic surgery. However, in recent years, Dr. Meier has found that orthobiologic injection therapy using a combination of hyaluronic acid and bone marrow aspirate concentrate can provide effective symptomatic relief in up to 70% of patients with meniscus tears. The benefits of this treatment approach include the preservation of meniscus tissue, and there is minimal downtime in contrast to the recovery period that follows arthroscopic surgery.

Minimally-invasive knee arthroscopy provides a well-established therapeutic option for patients who prefer the higher 98%+ success rate associated with arthroscopic surgery and don’t mind the postoperative downtime. Arthroscopic surgery is also a good option for patients who have tried orthobiologic injection and may not have experienced complete relief. For most surgeons, over 90% of arthroscopic meniscus surgery involves partial meniscectomy. Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy consists of the removal of the damaged portion of the meniscus. In these cases, the surgeon must remove only the damaged tissue and leave as much of the meniscus intact as possible. As meniscus tissue is removed, load-bearing stress shifts to the articular cartilage, leading to accelerated wear and knee arthritis. Because of this downside to partial meniscectomy, Dr. Meier prefers to repair meniscus tears whenever possible. Arthroscopic meniscus repair involves preserving meniscal tissue by reapproximating and stitching the tear to facilitate healing. In some cases, especially with degenerative meniscus tears, removing some tissue is unavoidable, mainly when some of the tissue in a chronic tear is too unhealthy to heal. But even in these situations, some portions of tissue are often repairable, so at least a “hybrid” repair with limited tissue removal is possible.

Patients Feedback

Our Patients Reviews

With outstanding precision and attention to detail, Dr. Meier provides all patients under his care the same level of attention as professional athletes receive. Read what some patients have to say about Dr. Meier’s life-changing treatments by visiting here.

I recieved Regenerative Injection Therapy on my right hip back in early March, 2018 from Dr. Meier. The result thus far have been very good - I have less pain and much better mobility. Dr. Meier and his staff are true professionals and have been great at setting expectations for the potential results of the Regenerative Injection Therapy process, making sure all my questions are answered in detail both before and after the procedure. I highly recommend Dr. Meier to anyone looking for alternatives to a hip replacement.

M. Hill

Dr. Meier is a fantastic doctor. He did a series of Prolotherapy Injections on my knees, shoulder and lower back, which saved me from having to have surgery. I trust him and his opinions on the best care for his patients.

Susan Kelber

I always have an outstanding experience when I have an appointment with Dr. Meier. Apart from being an outstanding doctor who listens to you, he has helped me so much in dealing with my pain from my accident. I highly recommend Dr. Meier. An added plus is the wonderful caring staff that he has in his office.

Terri Valencia
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