MRT for a torn meniscus
An MRI device is a tube that uses magnetic fields to visualize the structures of the knee joint. The MRI examination is completely painless. Depending on the number of images required, the duration of the examination varies.
As a rule, it is assumed to take half an hour, during which time the person being examined should lie as still as possible in the tube so that the images are not blurred and an assessment of the injury is possible. In many cases, the suspected diagnosis of a meniscus tear can be made on the basis of the patient’s medical history and physical examination. In order to be able to assess the exact extent of the disease and thus also the appropriate therapy options, diagnostic imaging methods are usually used.
The menisci of the knee joint can best be assessed by means of an MRI examination. Thus, over 90% of meniscus tears can be reliably diagnosed by MRI. Since it does not involve the use of potentially dangerous radiation, the examination is also suitable for younger people and pregnant women. The MRI examination is also advantageous for acute injuries to the knee joint, since a variety of other soft tissue injuries often occur in this case and the MRI allows a comprehensive diagnostic assessment of the injuries.The MRI examination falls under the non-invasive diagnostic options for assessing knee joint injuries and is therefore generally preferred to arthroscopy in diagnostics.
Therapy
The type of therapy depends on the size of the meniscus damage, the pain and the injured structures. First of all, in case of an acute meniscus damage, the initiation of “first aid” is valid. The self-treatment includes cooling the knee with cold compresses or ice packs.
Never place the cooling element directly on the naked skin. This can lead to dangerous icing! Keep the affected leg still and, in the best case, store it high.
Both reduce the swelling in the knee joint by restricting the blood supply. If you are in severe pain, however, you should consult a doctor. This is because there is a possibility that structures other than the meniscus have been damaged.
Not every meniscus damage has to be treated surgically. Often a non-surgical therapy is sufficient. Especially small tears in the well supplied with blood outer zone of the meniscus heal optimally without surgery.
The basis of this form of therapy is maintained by an appropriate pain medication by your doctor. Additional anti-inflammatory cortisone can be injected into the affected knee joint. Furthermore, the knee joint must be protected and cooled.
After a few weeks, physiotherapy is recommended to build up muscles in the leg and knee joint. The success of this conservative treatment depends on the extent of the meniscus damage. If the treatment is unsuccessful, there is still the possibility of surgical correction.
The aim of surgery for meniscus damage is to restore mobility in the knee in order to preserve as much healthy meniscus tissue as possible. There are two types of surgical intervention: arthroscopy or arthroscopy and open surgery. In arthroscopy, only small incisions are made in the skin and the damage to the meniscus is sutured or removed via these incisions using a camera and instruments.
The advantages are less injury to the skin, faster healing and a small scar. Open surgery, which is preferably used for additional injuries to ligaments or the joint capsule, allows the meniscus damage to be repaired through an approximately five centimeter long skin incision, which is sutured at the end of the operation. Regardless of the method of access to the knee joint, there are three different techniques used to repair the meniscus damage.
In meniscal suturing, the torn meniscal tissue is sutured to the undamaged tissue and thus returned to its original position. The suture material used is dissolved from the body after some time. Prerequisite for this method is an incomplete tear of the meniscus as well as an intact relation to the joint capsule, as this guarantees the blood supply.
The meniscus suture is the best possible method, since it is most likely to restore the anatomical conditions. However, it allows only a slow build-up of load over several weeks after the operation, so that the meniscus damage can grow together and heal. A complete resumption of sports activities is only possible after three months at the earliest.
During meniscectomy, the torn off part or even the entire meniscus is surgically removed. This method is mainly used in cases of age-related wear and tear of the meniscus or completely detached meniscus parts that have been separated from the blood supply. The meniscus resection can be performed on an outpatient basis during one session without subsequent hospitalization.
Patients are given walking aids and can resume activities in a sitting position after only one to two weeks. Additionally, appropriate physiotherapy is recommended. A meniscus replacement is when a new meniscus is inserted into the knee joint after complete meniscectomy.
Usually the implantation, i.e. the insertion, is carried out during a joint endoscopy. The new meniscus is either a meniscus donation from a deceased person or a synthetically produced meniscus. Not every meniscus fits in every joint, so that a size adjustment is necessary.
The donor meniscus from the deceased is increasingly used in young people who suffer from severe knee problems due to early signs of wear and frequent meniscal damage.The replacement of the meniscus is a lengthy process that requires several months of follow-up treatment. The general risks of surgical treatment of meniscus damage are secondary bleeding, infections in the knee joint and effusions. Persistent pain or pain return, implant loosening or renewed meniscus damage, which in turn may require another operation, are also consequential risks.
The treatment of a meniscus damage with a bandage is very suitable for the follow-up treatment within the scope of a meniscus operation. The same applies to minor injuries, as it protects the meniscus from further damage. The bandage generally accelerates the reconstruction process by always exerting moderate pressure on the knee joint and thus slightly stimulating the knee muscles, especially when walking.
A bandage in case of meniscus damage provides stability and security. It also provides relief for the menisci. This promotes the healing process of the meniscus damage and produces the greatest possible freedom from pain during movement. In consultation with your doctor, you can have your individual bandage adjusted by a medical supply store.
