Partial Medial Meniscectomy

Partial meniscectomy is the most common knee surgery performed. This is a process used to treat meniscal tear and to remove the debris of a tear from the active portion of the knee where loading and movement occurs. Smooth operation of the active, load bearing surfaces of the knee is important for both short-term considerations: like knee comfort, and for long-term considerations: such as reducing the abrasive wear of rough debris rubbing on the cartilage at the end of the femur. As cartilage on the end of the femur and top of the tibia wears away, this is arthritis and may eventually lead to need for knee replacement surgery. There are dozens of different common patterns of tearing or injury to a meniscus, and this video demonstrates a complex tearing of the posterior horn and mid-body of the meniscus in a completely non-vascularized zone. It shows how a torn portion of the meniscus can become folded underneath itself and entrapped in the menisco-capsular junction, which can be a significant source of pain.