If the lateral meniscus root tear is not repaired at the same time as an ACL reconstruction, it is now recognized that this could lead to ACL graft failure or loosening over time. Dr. La Prade had just moved to Vail and I was his 2nd patient @ The Steadman Clinic. Most patients with meniscal root tears will ultimately need surgical fixation of the root. My MRI showed an extensive radial tear adjacent to the medial meniscus root insertion, as well as evidence of high-grade chondral loss involving the central trochlea. Timeline: 1 week to 5 weeks after Surgery. Meniscus Root Repair Northeast Philadelphia, PA | Meniscal Root Tears Most meniscus root tears occur very close to the root near the meniscus itself and are called radial root tears. And slowly, I started bending the knee more, and eventually took the box away from my bench. If there is tissue there, it usually means that the meniscus root repair has healed down to bone. We validated that the 2 simple suture technique had the least amount of loosening over time, but the other techniques were stronger. If you break down what most healthcare provision professionals tell their patients, it could be an orthopedic surgeon, or even a physical therapist, its telling somebody whos just had a meniscus surgery, theyll say, well, 80% of healing is done in the first two to three months. Steadman Clinic, 181 W Meadow Drive, Suite 400, Vail, CO 81657, USA (email: drlaprade . Most patients will also have some numbness around the surgical incision, but this is not a true complication and is anticipated with any type of surgical incision. Dr. Benedict Nwachukwu, orthopedic knee surgeon has extensive experience in treating meniscus root tears and can help patients in Manhattan, Brooklyn, New York City and the surrounding New York boroughs. Knee popping after meniscus surgery can occur due to fluid accumulation, scar tissue, swelling and stretching of the tendon and ligaments, weakened leg muscles, changes in patellar tracking, underlying knee arthritis, unstable meniscus, and inflamed plica. And I feel my rode to recovery will be wonderful. Patients are allowed to walk 4-6 weeks after surgery. Dr. Burnham is amazing. Meniscus Tear Surgery Recovery Time: When Can I Get Back to Work? Malempati C. Bonasia DE, Pellegrino P, DAmelio A, Cottino U, Rossi R. Meniscal Root Tear Repair: Why, When and How? Meniscus Root Repair - Joint Replacement Patient Forum Then, in January of 2018, while warming up in class one morning, a sharp, nauseating pain shot through my left knee, which made me start limping. After a pretty serious car accident, Dr. Burnham performed knee surgery on me. When the tear is examined during arthroscopy, Dr. Hess will decide if the tear is able to be repaired . Meniscus root repair rehab will usually start 1-2 days after surgery. My name is Dr. David Middaugh. Highlights from the StartingStrength Community. In between the big lifts and the accessory work, I did some of my PT exercises: leg lifts, quad sets (quad squeezes), heel pumps. I rate him 5stars. What Causes Knee Pain 1 Year After Meniscus Surgery? I would highly recommend him. And if youve never worked out your glutes if you went through physical therapy never really targeted your glutes ever you better start quick because chances are youve got a muscle imbalance thats caused extra pressures inside your knee thats led to that meniscus tear to begin with thats been the root problem and glute strength is what offsets that forces inside the knee so that your meniscus can heal all the way. The knee will be swollen for 2-3 months. The technique of a meniscus root repair involves isolating the root, placing a minimum of 2 sutures in the remaining meniscal attachment, and trying to reposition it back to a more anatomic position. I have see all three orthopedic doctors at the Grove and Jerrica is the one I see the most and the latest she's absolutely wonderful. I have been very pleased with him at each visit..It's been almost 2 years since my meniscus root tear surgery and I have to say my knee feels great. You'll likely regain your previous muscle strength in the leg by. Patients in Manhattan, Brooklyn, New York City and the surrounding New York boroughs can expect a variation of the following: Dr. Nwachukwu is extremely knowledgeable about his area of expertise. In this technique, sutures are placed into the torn meniscus root and then shuttled down tunnels in the tibia to tie the repair into place. At the beginning of April, I was dancing at a friends wedding when I suddenly heard and felt a loud pop in my left knee. My wait time for office visits has always been less than 10 minutes. Meniscus root tears usually occur in patients with deep flexion such as skiers, or home gardeners, plumbers, or carpet layers or people doing similar activities. The Steadman Clinic - Edwards, CO Torn Meniscus - Repair and Post Op Instructions Arrange for someone to drive you home as you will not be able to drive yourself after surgery. Your doctor may give you a nerve block before surgery and will prescribe pain-relieving medications after surgery. But now I know more about the body, about rehab, and about what being stronger really means. Does a extruded medial meniscus towards the posterior root need surgery? Dr LaPrade performed a deep root repair to my meniscus, which saved me from a knee replacement at this time. Dr. Robert F. LaPrade operated on my right knee in May of 2010. I have two good arms, and a good leg. A Guide to Orthopedic Care, Pediatric & Adolescent Sports Medicine Injuries, Get the Perfect Grip on Your Next Game: Adaptive Golf Gloves, Healthcare Journal of Baton Rouge Mentions Dr. Burnham Performing New Surgery to Repair Torn ACL, Sports Medicine Near Me: Finding the Right Doctor for You, When to See a Doctor for Knee Pain When Bending: The Complete Guide, 11 Benefits of Exercise: It Can Change Your Life, Knee Bursitis: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options, Your Childs Knocked Knees: Everything You Need to Know, BioUni OATS Procedure Cartilage Replacement for the Knee, Capsulorraphy Shoulder Stabilization Procedure. The biggest mistake that people make after having a meniscus surgery is theyre doing too much way too soon. The recovery time for meniscus surgery depends on the type of surgery you had. The meniscal roots are critical in maintaining the normal shock absorbing function of the meniscus. Physical therapy exercises can help to improve muscle strength, knee range of motion, and decrease sensitivity to the pain. In particular, these younger patients have to look at a meniscus root repair as soon as possible to ensure that they dont develop arthritis. Meniscus Surgery: Who Needs It, What to Expect Before & After Next, sutures are placed in the meniscal attachment and threaded through the hole in the tibia. The exception is a patient that has contra-indications to surgery or already has too much cartilage wear and tear for the root repair to be beneficial. This step involves making a surgical incision or extending a previous surgical incision (such as with an ACL reconstruction) and ensuring that one is dissected down directly to bone. Phase I of Rehab: Surgery until 8 weeks. Meniscal repairs offer the benefit of preserving the native meniscus, but they require a longer rehabilitation protocol as compared to a meniscectomy. Controlling inflammation and swelling is still a key in this Phase, as increased motion without proper use of cooling therapy may put your meniscus at risk for re-injury. Healing kind of goes fast the beginning and then it tapers off. When Is Driving Safe After Rotator Cuff Repair? 1) You must be off narcotic medications for a . One should assess the range of motion at that point in time that can be performed in a safe zone to make sure that the physical therapist does not flex them harder in this time frame. Meniscus root repair is a surgery performed to repair a torn meniscus root. Meniscus root repair | Knee Problems | Forums | Patient It is our goal to provide the highest level of care and service to our patients. After creating two transtibial tunnels, passing sutures through the detached root of the meniscus and down the tibial tunnels, the sutures are tensioned to reduce the root of the meniscus to anatomic position. The system also involves a drill with a cannula whereby one can drill through the tibial guide, see the drill bit come out inside the knee, and then pull the drill bit out and leave the cannula in place. The back attachment of the medial meniscus, called a posterior horn attachment, is the most common location for meniscus root tears to occur. However, we felt that with a 6-week period of being nonweightbearing important for all meniscus root tears, that the 2 simple suture technique was valid. Other sources of pain can include scarring within the joint that occurs as a normal part of a surgical procedure, or pain from other pathology and joint, such as arthritis under the kneecap. I would highly recommend Dr Burnham and all of his surrounding colleagues at Ochsner. I hung on to this MRI referral for a good month or so, because the knee was starting to feel better, and I was still able to train and attend my BJJ classes. They are also important to the stability and function of the knee, keeping the meniscus in place. Other complications can include a blood clot, which is usually treated preemptively with some type of blood thinner, and irritation around the surgical button and/or surgical knot from the meniscus root tear. Now, the focus when you go into a surgeons office, theyre looking at your MRI, theyre looking at your meniscus on the MRI, theyre telling you the tear in the way that its torn and how theyre going to repair it. endobj Stated to me , in detail, what to expect and how long my recovery will take. No swelling. You should also be able use your leg for driving after one to two weeks, as long as you're not taking opiate pain medication. When I went in arthroscopically and thoroughly released the meniscus, pulling it back into an anatomic position and revising the repair; all of these patients seemed to have much improved pain relief. I can run, bike, & climb mountains. Monday: 8:00 am 5:00 pm At my third visit to PT, I was told that I had completely broken my PT protocol, and was better for it. Often the best medicine to take is NSAIDs like naproxen and ibuprofen. Arner, J.W., Herbst, E.. Meniscal Root Repair Article. By far the best orthopedic team I have ever met. His surgery and recovery has been perfect! Dr. Burnham was very thorough and took the time to explain what he thought my root problem may be, why, and how he suggested we proceed with my care. It takes longer for a meniscus repair to heal than a meniscectomy. Are you a candidate for a meniscal root repair? Repair of the meniscal root significantly increased functional outcomes scores in 14 of 14 studies and the rate of conversion to TKA was considerably less than those observed following conservative treatment or partial meniscectomy. Content on HealthTap (including answers) should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and interactions on HealthTap do not create a doctor-patient relationship. Meniscus Root Tear | Orthopedic Knee Specialist | Vail, Aspen, Denver But youve got to figure out a way to get your butt muscles stronger if youre looking for a more comprehensive plan for making your knee better and getting your glutes stronger we also have a program called the 28 day knee health and wellness boost program you can also find that in the link and as a link in the description below. This can occur with turning, twisting, or pivoting activities or sports. Treatment Outcomes of Meniscal Root Tears: A Systematic Review Dr. Burnham and Jerrica did a great job taking care of all my orthopedic needs. Unfortunately, as we have developed more scientific evidence for this, including several studies in my lab, we found that the lateral meniscus root is extremely important to both prevent the development of osteoarthritis over time and also to protect a concurrent ACL reconstruction graft. If it is your right knee, it will be at least a week before you can drive, as it would be risky to have to hit the break too soon after surgery, and you would be a risk to yourself and everyone else on the road. Right Knee Surgery After Auto Bicycle Accident, Medical Second Opinion Service MRI/X-ray Review. In addition, the other factor is if the meniscus was released significantly enough from scar tissue to pull it back into the joint. I continued to lower the box for squats, and started to add weight. Upon examination, the doctor told me that I most likely had a meniscus tear, and that I should get an MRI. A meniscus root tear usually will not heal on its own. Thus, the entire weight of the body is transmitted through the femur into the cartilage of the knee. The left knee was feeling great up until about a year and a half ago, when I started noticing some pain. Meniscus Root Tear | Knee Doctor | Baton Rouge, LA - Jeremy Burnham, MD The pain during my recovery has actually only been minimal, requiring no pain meds. The posterior roots are the most important as this is where a root tear occurs most commonly. amount of, supply and beyond the age of 15 has limited healing without surgery. Keeping each meniscus in place are two "roots" that attach to the tibia (shin bone).