Torn Meniscus Surgery

Before taking you to the section of torn meniscus surgery, let me brief you on what is torn meniscus all about? The knee joints consists of two C-shaped pieces of cartilage. When one or more of these parts suffer injury, the condition is known as a torn meniscus. Symptoms which become prominent in a torn meniscus include swelling, stiffness, pain while moving the knees, popping sensation and a sensation of the knee being blocked or prevented from getting fully straight. Pain while walking or while bearing weight is also a symptom of the condition. The below description will throw some light on torn meniscus surgery. But before that, you may also know about the causes which are responsible for the condition.

Torn Meniscus Causes

A violent rotation or twist of the knee may lead to developing the condition. Sudden stops and turns, intense pivoting, kneeling, too much squatting and lifting something heavy, especially with a sudden jerk may rupture the C-shaped pieces of cartilage. Torn meniscus in elder people is mainly brought upon by degenerative changes of the knee.

Torn Meniscus Surgery Procedure

Generally, ample amount of rest, ice therapy, medication, knee exercises and arch supports are the conservative treatment methods which are recommended by doctors so as to manage the pain and other symptoms. In cases, wherein, the symptoms do not subside, surgery is what is recommended by the doctors. With the help of a surgical procedure, it is, at times, possible to repair the tear. In cases, where the torn meniscus cannot be repaired, it is trimmed.

Torn meniscus surgery is carried using an arthroscope (a type of endoscope that is inserted into a joint for visual examination). This device is inserted, after making a small incision near the knee. This procedure is performed needless of huge incisions and the requirement to open the knee joint. The light and camera enabled arthroscope produces an enlarged image of the knee on to the monitor. Thereafter, the surgery is performed by inserting surgical instruments through other small incisions. Before the procedure begins, the patient is put under general anesthesia. The small openings which will be made into the knee are known as portals. The arthroscope and the other instruments are placed in these portals. Surgeons take utmost care to keep the nearby nerves and blood vessels, from any harm or damage.

Torn meniscus surgery recovery time is faster when the arthroscopic option is considered over for a knee-open procedure. In some cases, patients may even go home the same day and need not stay at the hospital. Patients are also given instructions on simple exercises which they can follow at home. For people who may require outpatient physical therapy, they need to attend therapy sessions for two to four weeks. Complete recuperation from a torn meniscus takes from weeks to months. The recovery depends on the severity of the damage which the person had suffered and his overall health and age too.

When there is a surgery, there is always a lurking risk of something going wrong post surgery. I am talking about what could be the possible torn meniscus surgery complications? The common ones which have been noticed in most patients include complications related to anesthesia, risks of infection, thrombophlebitis [phlebitis in conjunction with the formation of a blood clot (thrombus)], graft failure, persisting pain, suture anchor problems and in some cases, a lazy recovery period.

As a conclusion, talking about torn meniscus surgery cost, the cost does not have a specific figure, as it is obvious, that it will vary according to the level of the surgery conducted. However, according to studies, the surgery cost in United States is three times more than the ones conducted in countries like India and Mexico. This is the reason why, people in the United States whose budget is tight, prefer to make trips to such countries.