The menisci help the bones forming the knee joint not to be damaged when they rub against each other and to work together in harmony. It also has shock absorbing functions.

At the beginning of knee diseases, the most common diseases related to meniscus are seen. Meniscus tears, especially in young people and athletes, as a result of sudden trauma and sprains; In elderly patients, degeneration occurs as a result of wear and stress.

Complaints in the knee due to meniscus tear; Pain and tenderness occur, these complaints increase especially with squatting, going up and down the stairs, and sometimes they are seen as snagging and locking in the knee. The finding of locking is more common especially in large tears and ligament tears.

Diagnosis of meniscus tear: The diagnosis is made by the examination of the patient, who applied to the orthopedic doctor with complaints of pain and locking of the patient's knee, and sometimes without any examination findings, especially during prayer, with complaints that increase with squatting, followed by MRI.

Meniscus tears can be treated with surgical or medical methods, depending on the size and location of the tear.

Arthroscopic knee surgery is performed by experienced orthopedists as an easy and successful method that can be applied through two small holes without causing a large wound in the knee. Most patients are discharged the same day or the next day.

Patients with cartilage problems and abrasions in the knee joint on the basis of meniscus tear may partially benefit from arthroscopy surgery because of meniscus tear. Therefore, such patients do not need to be operated for meniscus tear without mechanical findings (stuck). For these patients, an exercise program along with drug therapy is very beneficial.

Meniscus tears occur in various types, depending on both age and trauma. The tear and its type affect the surgical treatment. For example; In a young patient, peripheral (edge) tears should be sutured as much as possible and the meniscus should be protected by repair. Partial tears close to the center of the knee, partial and degenerated tears that are more visible in advanced ages are removed and the pain and stiffness in the knee are relieved. Having a meniscus tear in the MRI of elderly patients does not mean surgery.

If the meniscus cannot be repaired in meniscus tear surgeries, the intact part should be scraped as much as possible. In open meniscus surgery, the entire meniscus is removed. Considering that MRI results are sometimes misleading, the intact meniscus is removed without any tears. Although its name is clear, it is an operation performed without seeing. However, since the entire meniscus is seen on the monitor in surgery with arthroscopy, only the torn part is intervened. In misleading MR images, the operation can be terminated without damaging the meniscus. After meniscus surgery, the load on the knee should be reduced, otherwise the complaints may start again. Again, the meniscus may tear and the knee may become calcified. For this; weight should be lost and overloading the knee (squatting, going down stairs and long walks) should be avoided and the knee should be kept strong with special exercises.

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