Knee
> Meniscus
Tear > Treatments
Partial
Meniscectomy
Preparing for Surgery
The decisions you make and the actions you take before
your surgery can be every bit as important as the procedure
itself in ensuring a healthy recovery.
Make
sure you have received any equipment you will need when
you get home from the hospital. This may include a knee
brace, crutches, ice packs or coolers, or a continuous
passive motion (CPM) machine. You should receive prescriptions
for any of these from your doctor when your surgery
is scheduled.
Understand
the potential risks and benefits of the surgery, and
ask your surgeon any questions that will help you better
understand the procedure. It can also help to talk to
someone else who has undergone the same surgery.
Any
physical problems, such as a fever or infection, should
be reported to your surgeon, and you should notify your
surgeon of any medication you are taking.
If
possible, practice walking with your crutches in case
you need to use them after surgery.
Most
insurance companies require a second opinion before
agreeing to reimburse a patient for a surgical procedure.
Getting a second opinion from a surgeon who is as qualified
as the surgeon who gave the initial diagnosis is advisable
in any case.
Make
sure the orthopedist performing the surgery is board-certified,
which can be determined by calling the American Board
of Orthopaedic Surgery at 919-929-7103.
At most medical centers, you will
go to "patient admissions" to check in for
your arthroscopic
partial meniscectomy. If your surgery is going to be
inpatient, there may be a separate department, so be
sure to ask your doctor. After you have checked in to
the hospital or clinic, you will go to a holding area
where the final preparations are made. The paperwork
is completed and your knee area may be shaved (this
is not always necessary). You will wear a hospital gown
and remove all of your jewelry. You will meet the anesthesiologist
or nurse anesthetist (a nurse who has done graduate
training to provide anesthesia under the supervision
of an anesthesiologist). Then, you will walk or ride
on a stretcher to the operating room. Most patients
are not sedated until they go into the operating room.
Here are some important steps to remember for the day
of your surgery:
You
will probably be told not to eat or drink anything after
midnight on the night before your surgery. This will
reduce the risk of vomiting while you are under general
anesthesia, which can lead to pneumonia.
Since
you will most likely be able to go home within a few
hours of surgery, and because the anesthetic and pain
medications may make you drowsy, arrange for someone
to drive you home when you are released.
Wear
a loose pair of pants or other clothing that will fit
comfortably over your knee bandage when you leave the
hospital.
Take
it easy. Keeping a good frame of mind can help ease
any nerves or anxiety about undergoing surgery. Distractions
such as reading, watching television, chatting with
visitors, or talking on the telephone can also help.
Arthroscopic
partial meniscectomy normally takes about between 20
and 40 minutes to perform, and usually you will be able
to leave the hospital the same day.
General
anesthesia is typically used for this type of surgery,
though in some cases a spinal or epidural anesthetic
is used. The anesthesiologist will administer the anesthesia
once you are in the operating room.
Most
meniscus surgery is performed with an arthroscope, which
is inserted into the knee through a one-quarter inch
incision and is used to view the meniscus tear. One
or two additional small incisions, or "portals,"
will be made to allow the insertion of instruments into
the knee.
Fluid
is injected into the knee joint through one of these
portals, which allows the surgeon to view, through the
arthroscope, the extent of the tear.
If
the tear cannot be repaired, the surgeon will use the
arthroscopic in combination with other instruments to
remove the torn portion.
Incisions
are usually closed with stitches and the patient is
taken to the recovery room.
After your arthroscopic
partial meniscectomy, you will remain in the recovery
room until you have recovered from the effects of anesthesia,
which may include drowsiness. Many surgeons inject local
anesthesia into the knee in the operating room, which
helps to numb some of the tissues surrounding the knee
and decreases pain for two to eight hours. If this is
done, you may not need pain medicine until you go home.
Your knee will be bandaged and wrapped, usually with
an Ace bandage wrapped over layers of gauze and cotton,
and your knee will be elevated. Ice may be used to reduce
swelling, and a brace may be used (to keep the knee
stabilized). Your surgeon may suggest you use crutches
or a cane initially, though you probably will be able
to bear some weight on the leg right after surgery.
Your temperature, blood pressure, and heartbeat will
be monitored by a nurse, who with the help of the doctor,
will determine when you can prepare to go home. You
will normally be able to leave the hospital or clinic
within a few hours after surgery. Make sure to have
someone available to drive you home, as you will most
likely be unable to drive a car.
Most patients are able to return to
work within a few days or a week or two after arthroscopic
partial meniscectomy, provided work does not involve
strenuous activity such as heavy lifting or climbing.
You may need to use crutches during the first week,
though you also may be able to bear weight on your leg.
It may take a week or more before you can resume driving
a car, depending on which leg was operated on. The wrap
usually can be removed from the knee within 12 to 72
hours after surgery. Some bruising or swelling is normal,
and you will notice a few small incisions held together
by tiny stitches. Icing your knee three or more times
a day for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, and elevating
it above heart level, can decrease pain and swelling.
Taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as
aspirin and ibuprofen also can reduce pain and inflammation.
The first follow-up visit is usually scheduled for a
week to ten days, at which time the stitches will be
removed.
Surgeons usually recommend that patients
try to walk without crutches, bend their legs, and begin
stretching and strengthening exercises as soon as possible
after surgery, to keep the knee joint and surrounding
muscles flexible. The goal is to strengthen the muscles
of the lower limbs with putting too much strain on the
meniscus. Many patients are able to begin a muscle-strengthening
program, using weights, within a week of surgery. For
the first few weeks after surgery, you will probably
not be able to run or jog until you have regained equal
strength in both legs. Full recovery and return to sports
activities can take from three to six weeks, if no arthritis
is present in your knee. If you have arthritis, then
you may not see the full benefits of the arthroscopy
for up to six months. Every patient over the age of
40 will have at least some chondromalacia, or loss of
articular cartilage, which is synonymous with arthritis.
Following are some signs to watch for in determining
if you are ready to return to action. You should be
able to:
Flex
and extend your knee without pain.
Experience
no swelling.
Feel
as if your injured knee is as strong as your other knee.
Jog
and sprint without limping.
When
running, stop and cut without pain at 45- and 90-degree
angles.
Jump
off both legs and off your injured leg without pain.
Though many meniscus injuries occur
during sports and are difficult to avoid, there are
several steps you can take to improve the overall strength
and flexibility of your knee:
Manage
your weight. Every pound in excess of your normal weight
puts three or four additional pounds of pressure on
your knee every time you take a step.
The
hamstrings, in the back of the thigh, and quadriceps,
the muscles in the front of the thigh, are crucial shock
and impact absorbers. These muscles must be kept strong
and flexible to protect the joint surfaces in your knee.
Stretching
before exercising should be a regular part of your warmup;
however, it is important not to over-stretch. Never
push or pull on your leg with your hands while you are
stretching, and avoid squatting during your warmup,
which can put stress on your knee joint.
Well-cushioned,
well-fitting athletic shoes can reduce the impact of
the load exerted on the knee.
If
you are engaging in activities that require a lot of
twisting and turning such as racket sports, skiing,
soccer, and basketball, do not assume you can play yourself
into shape; make sure you are in good physical shape
before you play.
Treatment Introduction
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In many cases, a piece of torn meniscus
will need to be removed through a procedure known as
an arthroscopic
partial meniscectomy. The goal of this surgery is to
remove as small a piece as possible to eliminate pain
and swelling, and insure that your knee will function
normally.
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