When Is Knee Surgery the Best Option for a Meniscus Tear?

A meniscus tear is a knee injury that can bench an athlete for weeks or months. The injury causes knee pain in various parts of the joint, including the back or sides of the knee, and can cause your knee joint to lock. You might also have trouble extending your leg with a meniscus tear.

The meniscii are two C-shaped cartilage pads inside the knee that absorb shock from your body weight when you move. The medial meniscus is located in the inner side of your knee, and the lateral meniscus is on the outer side. 

More than 500 thousand meniscus tears happen in the United States every year, though not all of these injuries are the same. Some require surgery while others heal with much more conservative care. 

Board-certified orthopaedic surgeon Kevin M. Koutsky, MD, and the team at DuPage Spine and Orthopaedics in Hinsdale, Illinois, provide exceptional personalized treatment to restore your knee’s function. They make recommendations based on your medical history and the details of your injury. 

Are you wondering whether you’ll need surgery to treat your meniscus tear? You probably won’t know for sure until you visit us for a thorough diagnostic evaluation. 

Our diagnostic strategy for meniscus tears

Dr. Koutsky uses a variety of diagnostic strategies to distinguish meniscus tears from other common knee injuries causing pain. Rarely can you determine the exact injury based on the appearance of the knee or a vague description of symptoms. Still, Dr. Koutsky asks you to describe your symptoms and examines the painful knee for outward signs of an injury like bruising and swelling. 

Dr. Koutsky also reviews your medical records and considers how the injury happened. Meniscus tears often occur during athletic movement, specifically twisting your leg while your foot is securely planted on the ground. 

Following a general evaluation and review of your medical records, Dr. Koutsky might examine your knee with diagnostic imaging methods like:

• Arthroscopy
• X-ray imaging
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

These strategies allow Dr. Koutsky to visualize the severity of the meniscus tear or rule out other possible injuries causing your symptoms. 

How we determine your best treatment for a meniscus tear

Many factors help Dr. Koutsky and the team determine the ideal therapeutic approach for your meniscus tear. They consider:

• Your age and overall health at the time of the injury
• The severity of the tear
• Your activity level
• Your tolerance for specific therapies
• Your preferences

Dr. Koutsky and the team typically begin treatment with conservative strategies before considering surgery, but there are cases in which surgery is the best option. Conservative care for a meniscus tear might involve ice, over-the-counter medications, physical therapy, and strengthening exercises for the knee.

When to anticipate needing meniscus tear surgery

Once Dr. Koutsky and the team consider the details of your injury, they decide whether orthopedic surgery is an appropriate approach for treatment. They may recommend other strategies first, and if conservative care doesn’t improve your symptoms, surgery might be the best next step. 

Some surgical techniques repair the torn meniscus while others replace it altogether. One important purpose of imaging tests is to examine the blood supply to a torn meniscus, which can help Dr. Koutsky determine if the meniscus is able to be repaired. 

Fortunately, most meniscus tear repairs are minimally invasive using arthroscopic surgeries. This technique involves making several small incisions in the injured knee. Dr. Koutsky manipulates surgical instruments and a tiny camera, called an arthroscope, through these incisions. 

Minimally invasive techniques like arthroscopy shorten healing time and cause less scarring. To ensure a complete recovery after meniscus tear surgery, you may need to use crutches for several weeks. Dr. Koutsky also recommends physical therapy following surgery to rehabilitate the injured knee. 

Get in touch with us today

Dr. Koutsky and the team provide top-tier treatment for meniscus tears and other knee injuries in Cook and DuPage counties, Illinois. Call DuPage Spine and Orthopaedics or request an appointment online for a possible meniscus tear today.