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Diagnosis and Treatment
It is possible that you will not be affected by a small tear in the cartilage. Symptoms can die down after a while but if they persist for more than a few weeks then surgery is an option. Larger tears that cause the knee to lock will require assessment and possibly surgery straight away.
A knee arthroscopy is the procedure that is usually carried out to treat cartilage tears. This is also known as key-hole surgery. There are two main procedures depending on the issue. Sometimes it is possible to repair a tear but if this is not possible the torn meniscus will need to be trimmed to create a smooth edge. This is called a partial meniscectomy.
Partial Meniscectomy
In a partial meniscectomy surgical instruments are inserted through a small incision along with an arthroscope. The surgeon will try and remove as little as necessary so that a smooth edge of the remaining cartilage can still act as a shock absorber.
Meniscal Repair
If a tear is in the outer part of the meniscus it can be repaired with special sutures or anchors. A meniscal repair is usually only recommended in younger age groups. This is because as we age the meniscus gets weaker and more prone to wear and tear. The chance of a tear healing is therefore reduced significantly. The cut off age for the procedure is usually around 45.
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