A meniscus tear is among the most common knee injuries, but you might be surprised to learn that your doctor may treat your injury differently, depending on how old you are. In any surgery, there is risk of infection or bleeding. The meniscus is a rubbery, C-shaped disc that cushions your knee. These fresh frozen allografts give the best results. Missing more than half of a meniscus as a result of previous surgery or injury, or a meniscus tear that cannot be repaired. Repairs are generally limited to this peripheral region of the meniscus.Â. A successful repair slows the development of arthritic changes. Treatment depends on the severity and location of the tear. The procedure is generally safe with a complication rate of about 1%. Every year, an estimated two million people worldwide undergo knee arthroscopy at a cost of $3bn per year in the US alone. Recovery is quick with no brace and return to full activities in 2-4 weeks. Typical costs: Over-the-counter aids to address mild pain caused by a torn meniscus typically cost $2-$25. The surgery is performed either … Elderly people are more prone to degenerative meniscal tears as the cartilage wears out and weakens with age. TREATMENT OPTIONS: Partial meniscectomy – the torn part of the meniscus is debrided and removed back to stable meniscus. Any knee that is injured has a higher likelihood of developing arthritis. Tel: +27 21 506 5621 Fax: +27 21 506 5215, Dr Hayden Hobbs Life Orthopaedic Hospital Alexandra Rd Pinelands 7405. But there is a risk of damaging the nerves during surgery. Injury to larger nerves or blood vessels is rare, as are blood clots. When it comes to treating meniscus tear, home treatment and physical therapy are usually sufficient. 4 essential nutrients — are you getting enough. Some involved repair of the tear while other require removal of the meniscus depending on the degree of the tear, the locations and condition of associated structures in the knee. By the end of rehabilitation, normal range of motion, function of muscles and coordination of the body are restored. The average time of return to all activities is 4-6 weeks after the surgery. The surgical procedure involves two small incisions made in the anterior region of the knee below the patella. Crutches are used for between 10 days and 8 weeks depending on the tear pattern. The meniscus is avascular structure within the knee. Must do it for speedy recovery. Surgery costs about $5,000, compared with $1,000 to $2,000 for a typical course of physical therapy, Katz said. This stops the tear from propagating and flapping into the joint and alleviates the pain and discomfort. The other incision is used to place a tool into the joint that will clip and remove the torn piece of cartilage. There are two menisci – one on the inside (“medial”) and another on the outside of the knee (“lateral”). … At the time of arthroscopy, if the surgeon decides that the tear is repairable (most tears are irreparable), he will go ahead and suture the torn meniscus. Improving symptoms, restoring function, and preventing further injuries are the main goals when rehabilitating. They function as shock absorbers within the knees and essentially the “cushions” in the knee. When the entire meniscus is removed it is known as, higher likelihood of developing arthritis. Meniscus Tear Surgery. If your injury is severe, it’s possible you might damage other parts of your knee as well as your meniscus. A meniscus tear is usually caused by twisting or turning quickly, often with the footplanted while the knee is bent. Torn knee meniscus generally produces pain in the region of the tear and swelling in the knee joint. Fresh frozen allograft from an organ donor, where the meniscus is sized to match your meniscus which was removed. In this procedure, the doctor may repair the torn meniscus by stitching the cartilage back together or may simply remove the damaged parts of the meniscus. But partial meniscectomy may be done if torn pieces of meniscus are causing pain and … Physical therapy is useful to regain full function of the knee, which occurs on average 4-5 months after surgery. The recovery from this procedure is significantly longer with the repair being protected in a brace for 6 weeks and then protected activity allowed for a further 6 weeks. As for the national average, the cost is $11,900 according to MeniscusTreatment.org. That said, the prices for the procedure is potentially lower … The menisci keep the knee steady by balancing your weight across the knee. However, meniscus surgery may be required for more serious tears. Torn meniscus is repaired arhroscopically as such surgey has very high success rate and fewer risks of complications. Panniculus can form after pregnancy or rapid weight loss as seen with strict exercise plans. However, by submitting your enquiry, you'll hear back from the facility with more details of the pricing. The most common complications are injuries to skin nerves, the vast majority of which resolve without additional procedures by three months post surgery. You may need a partial meniscectomy instead. The majority of a meniscus surgery involves cutting a portion of the meniscus out as opposed to actually repairing the meniscus. Exercise therapy is as effective as surgery for middle-aged patients with a meniscal tear, finds a Scandinavian study. In South African Government Hospitals the cost of a knee MRI scan (code P6235), is R3824, and the total price for a knee arthroscopy and menisectomy (including surgery, anaesthetic and day theatre, code P0667 and P0673) is R4860 (any surgical complications and their subsequent costs have not been taken into … Usually, this surgical treatment can cost anywhere from $5,000 to as much as $30,000 without medical insurance. Any knee that is injured has a, Meniscectomy refers to the removal of torn menisectomy to be replaced by implants or transplants. A common injury is a tear of the meniscus and can result in pain, stiffness, swelling, and difficulty moving. The surgeon and therapist should be able to provide the usual cost of the rehabilitation program. Every year, an estimated 2m people worldwide undergo knee arthroscopy (keyhole surgery … Otherwise, the Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation (RICE) protocol is advised: Rest – take a break from the activity that caused the injury; Ice – use cold packs on the injury for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day Meniscus injuries: The meniscus is a ... Prolotherapy in ACL/MCL partial tear and in Meniscal tears: Prolotherapy is a natural and cost effective alternative method to ACL surgery in patients with partial tear of ACL/MCL/meniscal tears. A suddenly bend or twist in your knee cause the meniscus to tear. These rely on tissue growing into the meniscal scaffold. There are two of them in each knee on the medial (inside) and lateral (outside) of the knee. The entire meniscus is removed in this treatment procedure. Estimated Costs Cost of investigations would … The problem when one injures the meniscus, is that it does not heal itself as it has no blood supply.                                                                                                   Related: When performed by an experienced surgeon, meniscus repair is highly successful, with good results in approximately 90% of patients. However, meniscus surgery may be required for more serious tears.                                                                                                  Related: Patella Surgery. Each knee has two menisci (plural of meniscus… The amount of rehabilitation time required for a repair is longer than a meniscectomy, but removing the meniscus can cause osteoarthritis problems resulting from lack of cushioning function that the meniscus provide. In case of repair, surgical instruments are used to remove the torn part of the meniscus. Post-treatments: Post-surgery, the patient is kept under observance … Persistent activity-related pain. Some meniscus tears may heal on their own, although surgery can be done to repair the tears faster. Therefore, the torn piece needs to be removed. This is not entirely correct though and the meniscus does have the potential to heal in the correct conditions, when it receives a blood supply. Removal of the meniscus tear is aimed to relieve mechanical symptoms (catching or locking or sharp pain); it will not return the meniscus to normal. They derive their nutrition from the fluid in the knee and from blood seeping in from the peripheries of the meniscus. Rehab. When people talk about ‘torn cartilage’ in their knee they usually mean a meniscus injury. Partial meniscectomy – the torn part of the meniscus is debrided and removed back to stable meniscus. This is done by a cessation of all impact sport for four months. The torn meniscus is repaired by a variety of minimally invasive techniques and requires postoperative protection to allow healing. This allows stem cells to ooze out of the bone and into the knee, where the stem cells can reach the repaired area and aid healing. In these cases, options are limited and a meniscal transplant may be recommended to alleviate symptoms and hopefully prevent or decrease the chance of osteoarthritis. MyMediTravel currently has no pricing information available for Meniscus Surgery procedures in South Africa. Meniscus Surgery is a surgical procedure used to repair a torn meniscus. The total cost of the procedure is around $7,500 – $20,000. Through one incision I insert the arthroscope, … The meniscus is the portion of cartilage that functions as a cushion for the knee joint. During surgery, the damaged meniscus is replaced with a healthy meniscus from the donor. We then try to stimulate blood to seep into the repair and aid healing. The meniscus is often torn as a result of sport-related injury in athletic individuals. These fresh frozen allografts are currently being sourced from Belgium as unfortunately the meniscal allografts in South Africa are irradiated, significantly decreasing their strength. The area most commonly used is the notch of the femur. In 2013 there were approximately 700,000 arthroscopic partial meniscectomies performed in the United States alone, with an estimated cost of $4 billion. As you get older, your meniscus gets worn.