What is it?
Menisci are thin C-shaped pads at the intersection of our two largest bones in the knee area. They may rupture due to sudden trauma, sudden load on one knee, or due to degeneration and cartilage damage that develops in older age groups.
Clinical
Sounds coming from inside the knee may be the first finding. There are symptoms such as tension and swelling in the knee, pain, fluid accumulation, restriction in joint movement, and locking in the knee.
Examination, special tests for the meniscus, radiography and MRI are important in diagnosis.
Treatment
Following an acute knee trauma, conservative treatment is applied until the diagnosis is made. The affected knee is placed on rest. Anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving medication is given and cold is applied. A bandage is applied and the patient's knee is kept up. If complaints such as recurrent pain, persistent fluid collection, and locking continue following the initial treatment, surgical removal of the menisci, that is, meniscectomy or suturing, may be performed. Nowadays, arthroscopic surgery is mostly performed for meniscus tears. In meniscus tears in the non-fed area of the meniscus with arthroscopic surgery, only the torn section is removed arthroscopically. It is important that the orthopedic doctor is experienced in this surgery. Tears in the blood-bleed outer area of the meniscus have a high healing potential and are treated by suturing the tears in this area.
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