Immediate and intense knee pain can signal a meniscus root tear, especially with pain at the back of the knee. The most important aspect to assess when one is looking at a root repair is to ensure that ones cartilage surfaces are still fairly normal. You have two roots per meniscus which include anterior and posterior roots. Therefore, we then looked at surgical techniques and due to the fact that we had multiple second look arthroscopies after bone grafting for ACL reconstructions with meniscus root tears, that the 1-tunnel technique had more of a spot welding healing of the meniscus to bone whereas the 2-tunnel meniscus root repair technique had a much better healing surface of the meniscus to bone. One of the most common is in patients who may have some underlying arthritis and the arthritis is causing the pain or the arthritis has progressed further after the meniscus root repair. He then drills a hole from the front of the tibia, into the root area and brings the sutures through the hole in order to tie them together and hold the tissue in place. Dr. Burnham and Jerrica are AMAZING! stream Oct 24, 2020. The Steadman Clinic - Edwards, CO He is on the cutting edge of research and techniques around surgery, he has a memorably reassuring bedside manner, and Im thankful he was in charge of my evalution and treatment. He diagnosed the problem quickly and accurately. An ACL tear most commonly occurs from a turning, twisting, or deceleration mechanism in a noncontact mode. I think my clients thought I had lost my mind, but what else was I going to do? It involves removal of some or all of a meniscus from the tibio-femoral joint of the knee using arthroscopic (keyhole) surgery. Amazing Doctor and wonderful staff!! Meniscal repair may be performed either by open surgery under direct vision or minimally invasively using an arthroscope that can be inserted into the knee through a very small key-hole incision to locate and repair the damaged meniscus. Fig 1 (A) Meniscus 4 A-II device. Medial meniscus root repair midterm results suggest excellent outcomes in a well-aligned knee with minimal degenerative change. I sat down and put together a training program with exercises I could do, and trained four days a week as normal. So lets get to it. However, if the meniscus re-tore or is placed into a non-anatomic position and ones cartilage surfaces are still fairly intact, an attempt at a revision repair should be made. This is one of the first video demonstrations of this. It is our goal to provide the highest level of care and service to our patients. General anesthesia and a nerve block. The swelling started to go down, but there was now a lump behind my knee that felt like fluid. 2 0 obj 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. You'll begin a graduated rehabilitation protocol. Well, this is not normal. %PDF-1.5 Single leg deadlifts on the good leg, reverse hypers, and dumbbell bench. Your care after surgery may involve: Crutches to take stress off the knee as it heals. If you're an athlete needing a doctor that understands; this is the guy. A surgical guide can then be placed in a drill tip where the cannula around it is placed into the area of the decorticated bone. This technique allows one to place passing stiches up the cannula, which has significantly decreased the operative time. 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. If a patient does have a meniscus root tear and the cartilage in that same compartment is still relatively good or normal, a meniscus root repair would be indicated. Browse archives. Dr. Burnham was very personable and explained my situation in great detail. Im telling you right now its going to take six to 12 months just erase that number that they gave you in your head and i wouldnt go argue with them because they may not have all the knowledge and understanding behind it and truth be told surgeons oftentimes you know once they finish their surgery theyre kind of done with you. The results of meniscus root repairs in the literature are encouraging, but more improvement is necessary in the future. He was outstanding. Drivers: The meniscus repair surgery to prevent osteoarthritis is expected to drive market development. W;5$u4Yxa_V_bm}q8=^_qbY,H(+",X'{|oMs"&A;3.E s&L=Z`)!]$],b }zb& Y@dy.Lif1:4@"Fz"U2`/h0|6^T&}56+Q:Dn{d:rqW@3 7 U. I wasnt taking any pain medication either, so I was alert. Video chat with a U.S. board-certified doctor 24/7 in less than one minute for common issues such as: colds and coughs, stomach symptoms, bladder infections, rashes, and more. Life happens and our bodies will sometimes let us down. with time whether there is healing or not. There goes my knee again.. When a torn fragment is floating in the joint, patients will feel a sudden, sha twitter.com/i/web/status/1, According to an injury study done in 2021, #Pickleball has been deemed safer than #tennis and better for individual twitter.com/i/web/status/1, Cysts Acetabular Paralabral and Subchondral, ACL Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury of the Knee, Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome Runners Knee, PVNS of the Knee Pigmented Villonodular Synovitis, Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation Surgery (OATS), Patellofemoral Arthroscopy Runners Knee Treatment, Stabilization for Instability-Arthroscopic, Subacromial Decompression for Impingement, How to prevent common skiing and snowboarding injuries | Ski Injury Doctor Manhattan, BICMD Co-Founder and Co-CEO Announces Expansion of Services, Patients are partial weight bearing for the first 4 weeks and then during weeks 4-6 are progressed to full weight-bearing. (Please keep reading below for more information on this treatment.). Patients are allowed to walk 4-6 weeks after surgery. Meniscus repair is usually done with arthroscopic surgery. Meniscus Root Repair; Meniscus Transplantation; Partial Meniscectomy; Patellofemoral Joint Repair. 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 highly recommend him. Healing kind of goes fast the beginning and then it tapers off. The meniscus has 3 main zones, the 1) posterior horn, the 2) body, and the 3) anterior horn. Most patients will have pain with squatting and deep knee flexion with a root tear because a meniscus root tear occurs in the back of the knee. One of the main portions of the system is a guide that can be placed inside the joint that fits around the tibial eminences and allows the surgeon to place the tip of the guide right at the area that has been decorticated of bone, where one wants to perform the root repair tunnel. I decided to continue with my usual four day split with two upper body days and two lower body days, although I did also incorporate a few extra upper body exercises as my lower body work was not that intense. One patient was noted to have an insufficiency fracture and spontaneous osteonecrosis of the knee (SONK) as part of the root tear and came in in a wheelchair and she has had6 years of successful return to activities after her meniscus root repair, including hiking and cycling. Please note, we cannot prescribe controlled substances, diet pills, antipsychotics, or other abusable medications. Squatting, lifting from a squat and sitting cross-legged should be avoided for 3-4 months. 4. I definitely know that I would not have been able to do all that I can do now, if I had not gone into the surgery strong. Oftentimes, after having a meniscus surgery, people are told that theyll be fine. I would like to thank Dr. Jeremy Burnham for his wonderful work and surgery on my left shoulder. 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. 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. I dont remember how or when I tore my meniscus. amount of, supply and beyond the age of 15 has limited healing without surgery. Patients are allowed to initiate weightbearing at 6 weeks, but should avoid any significant squatting, squatting and lifting, or sitting cross-legged for a minimum of 5-6 months. They are connected to your tibia by meniscal roots. He had knee surgery a few months ago and is recovering remarkably well. Matthias J. Feucht1,4 Received: 19 May 2022 / Accepted: 13 February 2023 Patients are usually kept non-weight bearing for the first 4-6 weeks, then advance gradually. Proper fixation of the meniscal root can prevent or slow down the development of arthritis in that area of the knee. Arner, J.W., Herbst, E.. Meniscal Root Repair Article. We validated that the 2 simple suture technique had the least amount of loosening over time, but the other techniques were stronger. The average pain levels after a meniscus root repair fit between a basic knee arthroscopy (minimal pain) and an ACL reconstruction (more severe pain). . Repairs have been found to delay or improve the findings of bony edema and the early onset of arthritis in many patients. For potential or actual medical emergencies, immediately call 911 or your local emergency service. I would have relied strictly on physical therapy. In some severe cases, they cant fully extend their knee out or bend their knee all the way. I got rid of the box for squats the end of July. endobj This usually presents with pain along the inside or medial portion of the joint and with swelling with activities. They moved my knee a bit, and I had decent ROM, better than expected. Therefore, the transtibial meniscus root repair technique is by far the most common procedure that is performed. The High Tech Shirt Problem in the Squat Rusty Holcomb, Observations on Training by an Old Guy Phil Ringman. Stationary biking is allowed after 6-weeks with Dr. Nwachukwus approval and assessment of healing. I opened my gym shortly after taking up strength training in earnest to help address my back pain, and have been working for the past eight years to help others embrace their true potential and strength. He and his staff could not have been more helpful and professional. I was adding 10 pounds a week for deadlifts but have now switched to pause deadlifts on Tuesday and add only 5 pounds a week to the heavy deadlift. Meniscus root repair is a surgery performed to repair a torn meniscus root. Normally, you should refrain from driving for at least 1 week after an arthroscopic knee operation, until the swelling reduces and the knee motion improves, but you should establish with your doctor when it is safe to start driving. Sit at home on the couch and watch T.V.? The thoughtful, open communication and treatment was everything I could have asked for pre-, during, and now post surgery. I was referred to Dr. Burnham from my spine doc, Chambliss Harrod, MD and he turned out to be a way cool guy. In some instances, the meniscus posterior horn may need to be released from scar tissue to allow it to be repositioned. In addition, the design of the meniscus is such that the full pressure of weight bearing activities is transmitted through the root of the meniscus, meaning that it is constantly pulling and stretching the tear with every step. I am now adding 10 pounds a week to the bar for squats. Patients who have an ACL tear have a 10% chance of having a lateral meniscus root tear. Fortunately, this is usually done arthroscopically and with good results. What most people just dont get from their medical professionals is that the meniscus is a type of cartilage. Very reassuring, showed me X-rays and explained the healing process very clearly. In the end he offered the best treatment for me.This is the first time in months that I have felt myself. How long recovery takes depends on the type of meniscus surgery and the severity of the injury, but expect two weeks down time, at minimum. Thank you Dr. Burnham and Jerrica for everything! Meniscus root repair surgery recovery Most patients can return to full activity 4-6 months after a meniscus root repair. Then I trained. Highly recommended! Rehabilitation begins within a week of surgery. Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) Naproxen (Aleve) And most likely, a meniscus tear.. I put a knee brace on and made it through class, but by the time I drove home I could barely bend my knee. Few tears will become. Heres the third practical tip if youre if you dont know where to go Ive got some exercises that i put on videos here for free on YouTube its linked in the description below theres one video in particular that i want you to take a look at its called top five glute exercises for knee problems go check out that video start doing those exercises youve got to exercise the heck out of your glutes if you got a meniscus injury if youve had a meniscus surgery in the past you need to get your glutes worked out. As of August 20, 2019, it will be six months post-op. Therefore, addressing a meniscus root tear prior to the development of osteoarthritis would be indicated.