Knee Arthroscopic Surgery for Meniscus Tears

The AHA! Team — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 05:36:09 +0000

Georgia M. Beasley, MD, MHSc, via Duke Health – The knee is one of the most commonly injured parts of the body, and meniscus tears are often the cause of knee pain and knee injury. The meniscus is the tough, rubbery cartilage that absorbs shock between the shin bone and thigh bone and distributes weight across the knee joint. When this cartilage tears, it can cause pain and instability in the knee joint. Meniscus tears can result from a twisting injury in sporting activities, such as football or soccer, or even something as simple as turning to put the dishes away. Symptoms of Meniscus Tears People of all ages can suffer from meniscus injuries, but each age has different types of tears and different ways to treat the tears. Almost all tears have similar symptoms, including: Pain Swelling Tenderness Giving way Mechanical symptoms, such as locking, popping, and catching Diagnosing a Meniscus Tear When you experience these symptoms, it is important to see an orthopaedic surgeon so your knee can be examined and an accurate diagnosis made. Occasionally, the diagnosis is obvious based upon a description of the injury and an examination of the patient. However, X-rays and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are frequently used to help identify any other associated injuries. Most common findings The most common findings on exam include tenderness over the joint line where the meniscus is torn, swelling, and sometimes loss of motion. The most important to report is whether you have mechanical symptoms such as episodes of feeling like your knee is caught or stuck. Once the diagnosis of a meniscus tear is made, you should discuss your treatment plan with your orthopaedic surgeon. For most people who have a symptomatic meniscus tear with mechanical symptoms, arthroscopic surgery is selected to remove or repair the torn tissue. However, if you have arthritis, you may benefit from injection and physical therapy without surgery. Arthroscopy has revolutionized how knee surgery is performed. In the past, a torn meniscus required a three- to four-inch incision and an overnight stay (or two) in the hospital. Now, the meniscus tear can be repaired with the arthroscope through two tiny (less than a half-inch) incisions. The surgery can be performed on an outpatient basis in less than an hour. Typically, the surgery can be performed under regional anesthesia with sedation, so there’s minimal anesthesia risk. Occasionally, small stitches can be placed into the torn meniscus to sew it back together; this technique can successfully treat large tears in younger people. If the tear is small, it may be removed. Quick Recovery Time Recovery from arthroscopic meniscus tear surgery is relatively quick, and most people can resume normal activities within a few weeks depending on the size of the tear and the repair involved. The pain relief is dramatic, and the postoperative incision pain is quite minimal. Physical therapy is often necessary in the recovery process. As with any surgery, there are risks, including the risk of infection or blood clots. Additionally, there are risks associated with anesthesia used during the surgical procedure. While meniscus tears are common, painful, and activity-limiting, these injuries can be quickly, easily, and successfully identified and treated. To read the original article click here.

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Doctors Perform Lifesaving Procedure on Baby During Birth

AHA Publisher — Fri, 16 Oct 2020 07:00:42 +0000

Abigail Klein Leichman via Israel21c – Doctors in Israel saved a newborn’s life yesterday with a rare surgical procedure performed before the boy was fully outside his mother’s body. The “ex utero intrapartum treatment” (EXIT) procedure during a Caesarean-section delivery at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center was planned when prenatal imaging revealed that the fetus’ airways were blocked by a growth. They knew the fetus would be fine until his umbilical cord was cut because the placenta provides oxygen. Once the cord is detached after birth, he would not have been able to breathe air into his lungs. A team of some 30 physicians prepared for the EXIT procedure – previously done in Israel only a few times — using a 3D-printed model of the fetus’ neck. The multidisciplinary team of doctors and nurses delivered the baby’s head and inserted a tracheal tube that bypassed the growth. When they pulled the rest of his body from the womb and cut the cord, he was able to breathe through the tube. Mother and son are reported to be in good condition. The doctors believe the airway-blocking growth may disappear on its own; otherwise it can be surgically removed. ′′I’ve been an obstetrician for over 25 years and every birth is a new source of excitement, but this was one of the special ones,” said Dr. Ariel Many, director of labor and delivery at the center’s Lis Maternity and Women’s Hospital. “To be a partner in a procedure where you’re holding the head of the fetus and treating him while he is mostly still in his mother’s womb, and then delivering this new life into the world, is a supreme, uplifting, special and touching feeling that will stay with me and the team for a long time,′′ said Many. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Israel21c click here.

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Knee Arthroscopic Surgery for Meniscus Tears

Doctors Perform Lifesaving Procedure on Baby During Birth