Today I am going to talk to you about how a knee arthroscopy can change your life after a meniscus tear that does not allow you to lead a normal life.
Once the meniscal tear has been diagnosed and after the failure of conservative treatment options, arthroscopy is presented as the most effective technique to treat this type of injury. This minimally invasive technique greatly reduces possible complications compared to a classic open meniscus surgery and allows a faster recovery for the patient.
Arthroscopy is a procedure in which a small camera is inserted into the joint through two small holes on either side of the patella and allows the surgeon to visualize and repair injured knee structures through these tiny incisions. When I find myself with a meniscal tear in the operating room, I always ask myself the same question: should I perform a partial meniscectomy or meniscal suture?
Depending on the type of tear that the meniscus presents, it will determine the surgical technique that you choose. The two most common are partial meniscectomy (partial removal) and meniscal suture. Whenever possible, it is preferable to suture the tear because it allows the intact meniscus to be preserved and offers better long-term results.
To opt for one technique or another, there is also a physiological condition. The meniscus is a structure that does not have blood vessels, so only those menisci that are torn in the most peripheral area of the meniscus, where there is a certain blood supply, can be sutured. For this reason, only a small part of meniscal tears can be repaired by means of a meniscal suture, in the rest of the cases the torn part must be removed and the tear sealed.
Also, in all my arthroscopies I offer my patients the possibility of applying plasma rich in growth factors to regenerate the torn area and make the meniscus scar as biological as possible This is obtained from the patient’s own blood during surgery. It is a simple but very effective gesture because, in addition to improving meniscal biology, it is anti-inflammatory and promotes the regeneration of damaged tissues, making recovery faster and longer-lasting.
For both procedures, local or general anesthesia is applied and the patient can be discharged home within a couple of hours, in most cases being able to support and move the operated knee. After partial meniscectomy, the patient can support the foot from the first day, although at least one week of relative rest and subsequent rehabilitation is recommended. After a month and a half or two months, he will resume a normal life, including practicing sports.
On the other hand, after the meniscal suture, the recovery time is longer. The patient must spend three weeks without supporting the leg. After that time, support and rehabilitation begin, which can last for several months.
KNEE ARTHROSCOPY WITH GROWTH FACTORS
Knee arthroscopy treatment is a minimally invasive technique that I perform on an outpatient basis. Meniscal repair surgery can take 30-60 minutes on average. The patient leaves with a bandage as a knee brace. The incisions heal within 5 days and are so small that they are barely a centimeter in length.
After a knee arthroscopy due to a meniscal tear, the patient walks out of the operating room on his own feet with the help of one or two turns, depending on the discomfort he presents, but he is allowed to support the operated leg as well as to bend and stretch the leg. knee.
I always urge all my patients to be as proactive as possible after this type of intervention. The idea that I always transmit to my patients is that we must try to make the knee aware as little as possible that it has been operated on. I give all the patients on whom I perform knee arthroscopy a sheet with an exercise protocol to do progressively to start even 2-3 hours after surgery.
The complementary biological contribution with a regenerative treatment such as plasma rich in growth factors is the perfect complement to knee arthroscopy, to stimulate natural regenerative processes, produce an anti-inflammatory effect, and promote prompt tissue healing.
Therefore, if we want to shorten recovery times, a clean, well-executed surgery, the supply of platelet-rich plasma, and a positive attitude are essential.
