Meniscal Allograft Transplantation involves implanting a donor graft (allograft) supplied from a tissue bank in the UK or from the USA. The remnants of the old meniscus are trimmed back to make a fresh bed for the new meniscus which is then inserted by keyhole surgery (arthroscopy) and stitched to the original bed. It then…
After a meniscus tear there are 5 options:• Leave alone and allow symptoms to settle reducing activity levels – safe if this results in no pain and no swelling in the knee• Arthroscopic surgery to remove the torn fragment – a very common and successful procedure• Arthroscopic surgery to repair the torn fragment – performed…
The implants are inserted at key-hole arthroscopic surgery which is usually a day case procedure. The incision to get the implant into the joint is about 2 – 3 cm long.Rehabilitation after surgery naturally has to be slow as the body has to grow tissue into the scaffold and this is a slow process. Full…
There are now two types of implants designed to regenerate the meniscus when part of it has been removed: The Menaflex supplied by Hospital Innovations and the Actifit supplied by Orteq. Both act as scaffolds for new tissue to grow into and regenerate the healthy cushion. They are made of slightly different materials and both…
The menisci of the knee make the sockets for the thigh bone to rotate in and they provide the shock absorber for impact loads. If a substantial amount is removed after injury then this can result in early wearing of the joint surfaces. Complete loss of the meniscus usually results in early arthritis developing within…
Early physiotherapy is directed at patella mobility in addition to static quadriceps and hamstring work maintaining muscle bulk. The most important part of the initial rehabilitation is to maintain patella mobility in the medial/lateral plane as well as the superior/inferior plane. Once the wound has settled then mobilisation of the patella tendon should also start…
Knee Brace: The knee brace should be used at all times when moving around for the first 4 weeks to protect the osteotomy site. The hinges on the brace should be locked with the leg out straight when walking as the bone has been weakened by the procedure. The hinges may be unlocked when sitting…
On the day of surgery the leg is marked and final consent obtained. The procedure is usually performed under general anaesthesia and the anaesthetist will discuss post- operative pain relief. This will usually involve nerve blocks, which keep the leg and knee numb for a while, and analgesic tablets. After the operation the leg is…
Preoperatively in outpatients x-rays of the knee are taken to help determine the amount of correction required. A hinged knee brace is ordered which will hold the leg enough for the osteotomy (bone cuts) to heal, yet will allow early range of movement exercises.
This operation is performed to improve stability of the knee cap (patella) reducing the sensation of dislocation or giving way of the knee. It is also sometimes used for treating various forms of anterior knee pain (patello-femoral pain) syndrome. It involves releasing the tight tissue on the outer side of the patella (lateral release) and…
