What happens when your meniscus is gone?
When a meniscus is removed, you may experience knee discomfort and arthritis in your joint. Meniscus replacement surgery may give great pain alleviation. It may also aid in the prevention of joint arthritis. When your cartilage gets frayed and scratchy, this can happen. Replacing the meniscus will stop this process of degeneration. Menisci are C-shaped bands of tissue that help to protect and stabilize the knee joint. They are made up of fibrous rings and cartilage, which provides some degree of flexibility to the joint. In addition, they serve as transmitters of force between the bones that surround the knee joint. Removal of a meniscus leaves bone on bone contact, which can lead to severe pain and arthritis. Replacement of the meniscus with an artificial device may prevent this form of arthritis. The three types of meniscal tears are vertical longitudinal (also called bucket-handle), horizontal transverse and radial transverse. A vertical longitudinal tear starts at the top of the meniscus and extends all the way down. This is the most common type of meniscal injury. The other two types of injuries require different treatment strategies. A horizontal transverse tear crosses both vertically and horizontally, like a cross-section of an orange. A radial transverse tear is one that occurs near the rim of the meniscus. It may or may not be associated with other injuries to the knee.