Meniscus Surgery in Tunisia

Why a meniscectomy?

A meniscectomy is usually performed when you have a torn meniscus, which is a common knee injury. The goal of surgery is to remove the fragments of the meniscus that protrude into the joint. These fragments can interfere with joint movement and cause your knee to lock.
Surgery is almost always necessary when:
It does not heal with conservative treatment, such as rest or ice
Your knee joint becomes misaligned
Your knee locks
When surgery is necessary, the need for partial or complete meniscectomy depends on:
Your age
Tear size
Tear location
Cause of the tear
Your symptoms
Your activity level

Type of surgery

There are two main approaches used for a meniscectomy:
Arthroscopic surgery is usually performed using spinal or general anesthesia in outpatient surgery, meaning you can go home the same day as the surgery
Open surgery requires general or spinal anesthesia and possibly a hospital stay
When possible, arthroscopic surgery is preferred because it causes less muscle and tissue damage and leads to faster recovery. However, sometimes the pattern, location, or severity of the tear requires open surgery.

Arthroscopic Surgery Procedure

For this procedure:
Usually, three small incisions are made around your knee.
A lighted scope with a camera is inserted through one incision and the tools used to perform the procedure are inserted through the others.
All structures of your knee are examined using the camera.
The tear is found and a small piece (partial meniscectomy) or the entire meniscus (total meniscectomy) is removed.
The tools and scope are removed and the incisions are closed with a suture or surgical tape strips.

Open Surgery Procedure

For an open meniscectomy:
A large incision is made on your knee so that your entire knee joint is exposed.
Your joint is examined and the tear is identified.
The damaged portion or the entire meniscus is removed.
The incision is sewn or stapled closed.

Post-Operative Care

Recovery will take about four to six weeks, depending on the surgical approach used. The recovery period after arthroscopic surgery is generally shorter than that of open surgery. Other factors that affect recovery time include:
Type of meniscectomy (total or partial)
Severity of the injury
Your overall health
Your usual activity level
The success of your physical therapy or home exercises
Pain and swelling improve quickly. By the second or third day after surgery, you should be able to perform daily activities, such as light household chores. You should also be able to return to work if your job does not involve a lot of standing, walking, or heavy lifting. One to two weeks after surgery, you should have full range of motion in your knee. You should also be able to use your leg for driving after one to two weeks, as long as you are not taking opioid pain medications. You will likely regain your previous muscle strength in the leg two to three weeks after surgery. Four to six weeks after surgery, you should be able to start playing sports and return to work that involves a lot of standing, walking, and weight lifting.

Surgical Risks

Meniscectomies are quite safe, but there are two major risks to consider:
Infection: If your incision is not kept clean, bacteria can enter your knee and cause an infection. Signs to look for are increased pain, swelling, warmth, and drainage from the incision.
Deep vein thrombosis: This is a blood clot that forms in the vein of your leg. Your risk increases after knee surgery because blood stays in the same place if you don't move your leg very often while you regain your strength. A warm, swollen, and tender calf may indicate that you have a thrombosis. The main reason you keep your knee and leg elevated after surgery is to prevent this from happening. If you notice any of these signs and symptoms, contact your surgeon or healthcare professional immediately. It is important to start antibiotics as soon as possible so that an infection does not worsen requiring another hospitalization and possibly another surgery. Blood clots must be treated with anticoagulants quickly before a piece breaks off and travels to your lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism. Additionally, a total meniscectomy may make you more likely to develop knee osteoarthritis. However, leaving the tear untreated can also increase your risk. Fortunately, a total meniscectomy is rarely necessary.