do they do surgery for menicus tear?

[flowerfloosey]

I am a 57 year old woman and have had OA for many years. My joints are not great and I have had both hips replaced. I have had crunching noises in both knees going up stairs for about 7 years. I recently have been experienceing severe pain in my right knee. It hurts going down stairs and walking and especially when I go to sit down and stand up. I will not have surgery in my small town so have to wait another week to get into a reputable ortho elseware.
I had a mri here locally as my friend works for an ortho and scheduled one for me. The doctor here glanced at it for me without me being there just as a friend and he said I had at least one menicus tear. Since I have to wait a week to see the surgeon, I am wondering if this means surgery? I have degenerative j disease in it too. What criteria would they use to recommend replacement? I am not ready for this!

[abhijeet v ghosh]

hi,
keep asking your doubts. and the progress..
regards

[flowerfloosey]

Saw the ortho today. he offered cortisone and sinvisk but said ultimately I needed an arthroscopy. He also said that the lateral meniscus can't be helped much. I think you are right about eventually needing a tkr.
thank you for your comments..it is scheduled for first available march25.

[abhijeet v ghosh]

hi friend,
so i think after this MRI report, you should book an early appointment with an orthopaedician who has specialized in knee arthroscopy.
this is a small procedure and results are wonderful. The sooner you do, the better are the results for the knee

[flowerfloosey]

Hello, My friend that ordered my mri sent me the doctors notes from when he looked at my MRI.
This is the report:
Full prepatellar bursa

moderate size effusion

intact acl and pcl

changes very suspicious for a horizontal cleavage plane tear, caudad surface exit postierior horn lateral meniscus tear

Rule out caudad surface tear,posterior horn medial meniscus as well

intact medial and lateral ligament

Rule out grade 3 tear mid portion of the lateral meniscus as well

Thank you again for your comments

[flowerfloosey]

Is it my age that causes the menicus to tear along with the degenerate arthritis? It didn't seem like an injury..just all of a sudden a lot of pain that I didn't have before and a catching when it is in a few certain positions. It hurts really bad when I am trying to sleep and roll over. I am just trying to be prepared for what the doctor will tell me next tues.
I recently had a bone scan that reported djd in both knees along with a "slightly suspecious' loosening of the stem of my hip replacement on the same side as my knee pain. I am wondering if this could cause the knee to degenerate faster?

What happens if they remove the menicus in an older person like me? I have read somthing about arthritis being worse after that surgery. Why is it your feeling that repairing it would not work very well?

Thank you again for your comments
flowerfloosey

[abhijeet v ghosh]

hi,
keep us informed. feel free to ask more
regards

[flowerfloosey]

I forgot to thank you for your comment.
Flowerfloosey

[flowerfloosey]

wow..I was not aware of the criteria for total knee surgery. I have heard the recovery is much harder than hip replacement.

I see the ortho next week and I will post again.

[abhijeet v ghosh]

hi flowerfloosey,
at 57 yrs with both hips replaced, you look like a typical osteo-arthritis candidate.
I don't think that meniscus repair will be of much help. By this stage the meniscuc gets partially torn due to degeneration as well as arthritis.
If you can afford and your orthopaedician is convinced, then Total knee replacement would be ideal for you.
Just let us know what he said?
regards
abhijeet