Anterior cruciate ligament injuries are often just one of several injuries to the knee. Often the meniscus is torn at the same time. If this is the case the surgeon usually does repair everything at the same time.

In some cases a minor meniscal tear may be present. The surgeon tries to repair these types of injuries rather than remove the cartilage. Long-term studies have clearly shown the benefit of keeping your cartilage as long as possible.

Meniscal tears occurring after ACL reconstruction are fairly common. Several studies show a high reoperation rate for this problem. As many as one-third of all patients develop symptoms of meniscal problems following the ACL repair.