Partial Meniscus Removal Surgery

The knee menisci are “C”-shaped structures sit between the femur and the tibia. They are made of fibrocartilage and there are two menisci in each knee: the lateral meniscus, located on the outside of the joint, and the medial meniscus, on the inside. There are several ways to injure the menisci and some of these injuries require surgical treatment.

What is a partial meniscectomy?

Partial meniscectomy is a surgery performed arthroscopically, by video, in which only the damaged part of the meniscus is removed, preserving as much of the healthy tissue as possible, which plays an important role within the joint. The main objective is to relieve pain and restore knee function, avoiding further damage to the joint.

When is surgery necessary?

Partial removal of the meniscus, or partial meniscectomy, is indicated when the meniscus injury causes:

Persistent pain that does not improve with conservative treatment, such as relative rest, use of medication and/or physiotherapy;
Knee locking, or a sensation of the joint locking when trying to move the knee;
Recurrent effusion, characterized by the frequent accumulation of fluid in the joint, causing discomfort.

How is the surgery performed?

Partial meniscus removal, or partial meniscectomy, is a surgical procedure and, therefore, must be performed in a hospital setting. During the medical consultations carried out before the surgery, the doctor requests and evaluates all necessary exams so that all risks related to the procedure are reduced.

Hospital admission: the patient is usually admitted two to three hours before the scheduled time for the procedure to begin.
Anesthesia: the choice of the type of anesthesia depends on the orthopedic surgeon and the anesthesiologist, but in general, it can be general or spinal anesthesia.
Incisions. Because this is a minimally invasive video surgery, the incisions are usually small, through which the doctor inserts a camera into the joint and the manipulation devices.
Removal. The damaged part of the meniscus is removed using specific arthroscopic devices.
Closure. The incisions are sutured with stitches, which can be removed two to three weeks after the surgery, in the doctor's office.
Hospital discharge. The patient usually goes home on the same day of the surgery or the following day, depending on the time the procedure ends.

Recovery

Recovery begins in the hospital itself, with the administration of analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs. The patient can begin rehabilitation in the hospital, with the physiotherapy team.

In the first few days after the surgery, the patient will have an joint effusion, which will gradually improve.

Rehabilitation with physiotherapy is extremely important for the success of the treatment. Initially, the focus is on improving pain and the inflammatory process. Over time, physiotherapy aims to restore the range of joint movement and rebalance the muscles.

After meniscus partially removal procedures, the patient is usually encouraged to walk with the help of crutches immediately after the anesthesia has worn off.

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