I highly recommend Dr Burnham for your orthopedic needs hands down. Now my intent on this video is not to throw anybody under the bus surgeons are doing the best they can with what they know and saw our physical therapists in any health care providers that you may be seeing for your meniscus problem. And if youve never worked out your glutes if you went through physical therapy never really targeted your glutes ever you better start quick because chances are youve got a muscle imbalance thats caused extra pressures inside your knee thats led to that meniscus tear to begin with thats been the root problem and glute strength is what offsets that forces inside the knee so that your meniscus can heal all the way. The meniscus root is where the meniscus attaches to bone. I was referred to Dr. Burnham from my spine doc, Chambliss Harrod, MD and he turned out to be a way cool guy. Wednesday: 8:00 am 5:00 pm I also found that there were patients being referred to me who had meniscus root repairs that were done well, but the meniscus was not pulled back in the joint and these patients continued to have pain. After creating two transtibial tunnels, passing sutures through the detached root of the meniscus and down the tibial tunnels, the sutures are tensioned to reduce the root of the meniscus to anatomic position. Repairs have been found to delay or improve the findings of bony edema and the early onset of arthritis in many patients. So that means youre good to go after two to three months. So its important at the very beginning its appropriate at the very beginning to make sure that all your emotions back and that you can do some simple walking to and from the house even though hurts so that youre not you know having accidents and better so youre not having emergencies happening you need the function of your leg back. The most important aspect to assess when one is looking at a root repair is to ensure that ones cartilage surfaces are still fairly normal. Question: Can You Bend Your Knee After Meniscus Repair Amazing Doctor and wonderful staff!! Please note, we cannot prescribe controlled substances, diet pills, antipsychotics, or other commonly abused medications. I wasnt taking any pain medication either, so I was alert. very elderly patients). Dr. Burnham took his time and answered all my questions with explanations. In cases the patients undergo meniscus repair or ligament reconstruction, they are given a brace to support the knee in full extension. So if youre sitting at home right now, and you just had your meniscus surgery a month or two ago, and youre thinking, gosh, why arent I much better already. What do you suggest if my MRI says that I have a horizontal tear in the body of the lateral meniscus is shown do I need surgery? In between the big lifts and the accessory work, I did some of my PT exercises: leg lifts, quad sets (quad squeezes), heel pumps. PDF Coronal extrusion of the lateral meniscus does not increase after Had a meniscus root repair yesterday and the surgery was successful. Really cares for his patients! I think my clients thought I had lost my mind, but what else was I going to do? These UltraTape or sutures can then ultimately be shuttled down the cannulas and then tied over a metal button on the front part of the tibia. It was tough, and it hurt like hell, but I took it slowly. Figure 5:: Cortical fixation of transtibial meniscal root repair. That was day one. How long recovery takes depends on the type of meniscus surgery and the severity of the injury, but expect two weeks down time, at minimum. Super knowledgeable. As always, Dr. Burnham and his staff were caring, knowledgeable & professional at my recent visit. While there are a small number of patients who do have their meniscus root re-tear, this has been nowhere near as common as the other sources noted above. Meniscus Repair. Thus, when one does sustain a lateral meniscus root tear with an ACL tear, consideration should be given to having a concurrent lateral meniscus root repair so the ACL graft does not stretch out. Get prescriptions or refills through a video chat, if the doctor feels the prescriptions are medically appropriate. It is very important for proper healing, that the placement of the root matches the original Footprint or attachment site. And most likely, a meniscus tear.. Meniscus Root Repair The most common method to fix meniscus root tears is through a tibial bone tunnel. 1-2 Days After Surgery: Hospitalization for meniscus surgery is typically short. This was devastating news after being a top triathlete (3rd in the world in my age group in 1989 & 1st nationally in my age group) and a big marathon runner. We recognized that meniscus root tears were a problem over 10 years ago and set out to perform a comprehensive research program to help us figure out how to diagnose the problem, where to place the meniscus repair, and how best to fix the meniscus tear to allow for maximal healing capability. That means that the remaining meniscus is smaller, but still taking the same pressure. And I feel my rode to recovery will be wonderful. I would have relied strictly on physical therapy. A written consent will be obtained from you after the surgical procedure has been explained in detail. These radial root tears are equivalent to a meniscus root tear. Doctors typically provide answers within 24 hours. What Is a Meniscectomy? - Healthline Other non-medical modalities may help, such as using ice and elevating the leg. He answered all of my concerns about my knee. I have two good arms, and a good leg. A meniscus that still has extrusion present also does not function as well over the long term. Two main repair techniques are described: (1) suture anchors (direct fixation) and (2) sutures pulled through a tibial tunnel (indirect fixation . endobj Should a meniscus tear repair surgery be hurting 7 weeks post-operation? So happy I found them! We love you! It takes longer for a meniscus repair to heal than a meniscectomy. Post Operative Knee Arthroscopy FAQs - Complete Orthopedics Meniscus root tears - a devastating injury - Dr. Bu Balalla In general, patients have to develop good quadriceps strength to allow for maximum absorption with activities prior to returning back to any significant hiking, jogging or running activities. Dr. Burnham and Jerrica did a great job taking care of all my orthopedic needs. The steps in a meniscus root repair are very intricate and our biomechanical studies have validated that the steps are essential. Matthias J. Feucht1,4 Received: 19 May 2022 / Accepted: 13 February 2023 But youre also not alone. Amazing doctor, amazing family mantreats patients with the highest level of care, compassion, and quality! Meniscus Surgery: What to Expect at Home - Alberta You'll begin a graduated rehabilitation protocol. The most important difference is that rehabilitation following a meniscal repair requires limiting early postoperative weight bearing and knee flexion beyond 90 degrees to . In particular, these younger patients have to look at a meniscus root repair as soon as possible to ensure that they dont develop arthritis. I was life flighted to MCR in Loveland, CO. My orthopedic injuries were severe, but totally missesd by the orthopedic team at Poudre. The root attachments of the posterior horns of the medial and lateral meniscus are very important for joint health. Most meniscus root tears require surgery. Kyle D. Morgenstern, MD . The feeling that your knee is giving way, locking, or catching when you bend it. Usually, pain is minimal after this type of surgery. I could not bear weight on my right side though I tried repeatedly, but finally I went and got an MRI and one of the orthopedic surgeons that I worked with was shocked when he saw the MRI result. If you break down what most healthcare provision professionals tell their patients, it could be an orthopedic surgeon, or even a physical therapist, its telling somebody whos just had a meniscus surgery, theyll say, well, 80% of healing is done in the first two to three months. Dr. Burnham is extremely professional, knowledgeable, understanding, kind, and precise. 4 0 obj For more information on meniscus root tears of the knee and meniscus root repair surgery, please contact the office of Benedict Nwachukwu, MD, orthopedic knee specialist serving Manhattan, New York City and the surrounding New York boroughs. I have now biked five to six days each week since my surgery. I'm taking pain meds regularly to try and ease pain. We are so grateful and thankful. If the patient has or has developed significant arthritis, which is usually designated at Kellgren-Lawrence grades 3 or 4, it is felt that a revision root repair may not be indicated. Meniscus tears & repairs - Overview - Mayo Clinic Orthopedics & Sports Dr. Burnham has an awesome bedside manner. The why answer is that the meniscus root is an important stabilizer to the meniscus to ensure that it can function as effectively as possible as a shock absorber. The first step is usually to use especially designed cannulas and guides to drill up into the area that was decorticated. But its just not common knowledge to take six to 12 months to heal after a meniscus surgery. Patients are allowed to initiate weightbearing at 6 weeks, but should avoid any significant squatting, squatting and lifting, or sitting cross-legged for a minimum of 5-6 months. Get answers from Family Physicians and top U.S. doctors, Our doctors evaluate, diagnose, prescribe, order lab tests, and recommend follow-up care. Conservative treatment methods are typically reserved for patients who would not recover well with surgery (i.e. What most people just don't get from their medical professionals is that the meniscus is a type of cartilage. We use the 2-tunnel technique to maximize biologic healing of the meniscus down to a broad surface. Torn Meniscus - Repair and Post Op Instructions