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Our 14-year-old daughter injured her knee playing outdoor soccer. The tests show she has a torn meniscus and a torn ACL. The surgeon is talking about repairing both problems in one operation (as opposed to fixing the meniscus first and later taking care of the ACL). My husband is an accountant and I'm a stay-at-home Mom. We just don't have any experience or knowledge to help us in this area. What's the best way to go with this?
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Carrying out a staged procedure (one repair followed later by a second surgery) is sometimes suggested if it looks like the patient could recover function through a rehab program.
The meniscus is a C- or horse shoe-shaped piece of thick cartilage that doesn't heal well on its own. Experience has shown us that repairing the torn area yields the best long-term results. The practice of years past was to remove the damaged cartilage. But taking the meniscus out (called a meniscectomy) can lead to early arthritic changes in that knee. So surgeons try to repair, rather than remove, the meniscus now whenever possible.
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) doesn't have a lot of reparative power either. But the muscles around the joint can be strengthened to support and stabilize the knee while the tear fills in with scar tissue. A torn ACL can be treated this way in some patients, whereas, a fully ruptured ligament requires reconstructive surgery -- especially in young, active patients.
For young athletes with complex injuries like this (meaning a torn meniscus AND a torn ligament), the best results are found when everything is repaired at one time. If it were just a meniscus or just an ACL tear, the approach would be different. But the risk of reinjury is higher when all damage to the knee isn't repaired adequately.
Fortunately, young patients like your daughter seem to have amazing recuperative powers. Their rate of healing and recovery far surpasses those of adults with similar injuries. If you are still unsure what to do, consider getting a second opinion. Surgery is a major affair and being confident you are doing the right thing is important.
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*Disclaimer:*The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic. |
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