Arthroscopic meniscus repair is an outpatient surgical procedure to repair torn knee cartilage. The torn meniscus is repaired by a variety of minimally invasive techniques and requires postoperative protection to allow healing. Physical therapy is useful to regain full function of the knee, which occurs on average 4-5 months after surgery.
The goal of meniscus surgery is to preserve healthy meniscus tissue. A meniscus tear requires a blood supply to heal. Only the outer third portion of the meniscus has blood supply to enable healing of a tear. Repairs are generally limited to this peripheral region of the meniscus.
Many types of meniscus tears occur in the region of the meniscus without adequate blood supply for healing. Meniscus removal is generally recommended for tears to regions of the meniscus without blood supply. Please see arthroscopic meniscectomy for more information.