Partial Meniscectomy in Houston

If you suffer from pain, clicking, popping, and instability in your knee, you may have sustained a torn meniscus. Unfortunately, many meniscus tears fail to heal by themselves, even with conservative treatment. Fortunately, a minimally invasive surgery known as partial meniscectomy can come to your rescue.

What is partial meniscectomy? This surgery involves the removal of the part of the meniscus cartilage causing your knee symptoms. Arthroscopic tools can perform this procedure with minimal collateral damage so you experience less pain and recover more rapidly than conventional surgery would permit. NW Surgery is proud to serve as your source for partial meniscectomy in Houston TX.

What Is a Meniscus?

Surgeon pointing a pen to meniscus in a knee-joint anatomical teaching model.A meniscus is a crescent-shaped structure made of cartilage that sits between your upper and lower leg bone, just behind the kneecap. You have one meniscus on the inner knee surface, and another on the outer knee surface. These pieces of cartilage act as shock absorbers and reinforce the stability of the joint under weight bearing conditions.

Meniscus injuries can occur for many reasons. Perhaps most obviously, you can tear a meniscus during demanding activities such as sports, especially if you twist or pivot your knee too sharply. However, meniscus damage can also develop slowly, as the cartilage degenerates due to natural wear and tear over many years.

When Is Partial Meniscectomy Necessary?

The location of the meniscus tear may determine whether you need partial meniscectomy. With luck, a small tear along the outermost edge of the cartilage can repair itself. Your doctor will recommend conservative techniques such as rest, bracing, anti-inflammatory medications, and physical therapy as a starting point for treatment. However, deeper meniscus tears lack the necessary blood supply to heal normally, making partial meniscectomy the most logical solution.Medical illustration of tear meniscus.

A partial meniscectomy specialist can determine whether you stand to benefit from this procedure. This specialist can administer advanced diagnostic imaging to view the tear’s location, depth, and severity. External examination and flexion of the knee can reveal trademark symptoms such as tenderness, pain, and popping or clicking sensations.

Benefits of Partial Meniscectomy

Partial meniscectomy can turn an ailing, unstable, unusable knee into a reliable, functioning one again — without the potential downsides of major open surgery. The benefits of partial meniscectomy include:

  • Pain Relief: Partial meniscectomy can relieve nagging pain and other uncomfortable sensations in your knee, freeing you from the need to use painkillers regularly.
  • Minimally Invasive: Surgeons perform partial meniscectomy using elongated arthroscopic tools that do their work through tiny incisions. This minimally-invasive approach means an easier, quicker recuperation.
  • Surgeons performing knee surgery to the patient inside the operating room.Improved Joint Function: The extraction of flaps or spurs of torn cartilage removes obstacles to smooth, normal motion, restoring both the knee’s range of motion and its ability to hold your weight securely as you stand, walk, and run.
  • Low Risk of Complications: Compared to more invasive procedures, partial meniscectomy poses a much lower risk of postoperative complications and side effects.
  • Prevents Further Damage: A torn meniscus will likely get progressively larger the more you use the knee, worsening your symptoms. Partial meniscectomy puts a stop to the damage.
  • Personalized Treatment: Each meniscus tear, each knee, and each patient presents a unique problem to be solved. You’ll receive personalized treatment that addresses your particular injury, age, medical background, and activity level.

Let NW Surgery Help You

Group of Surgeons doing some surgery on the operating room.As Houston’s leading doctor-owned orthopedic center, NW Surgery has helped individuals recover from all kinds of joint injuries, including meniscus tears, since 1999. We specialize in minimally-invasive techniques such as arthroscopic surgery to help you heal more easily and with less pain. Our skilled team also includes pain management specialists who can offer advanced options such as ketamine treatment for the most stubborn chronic pain conditions.

Our proven track record of service and access to the most brilliant orthopedic surgeons helps patients whether they have health insurance or not. While we’re considered in-network by most insurance providers, we can also offer competitive pricing for those without coverage.

Schedule Expert Care for Your Torn Meniscus

When your knee doesn’t respond to conservative meniscus treatment, you can benefit greatly from partial meniscectomy’s effectiveness, low risk factor, and minimally-invasive surgical approach. If you’re ready to rid yourself of pain and embrace newfound knee function, contact NW Surgery to schedule a consultation. We can arrange for the finest possible specialist to perform your partial meniscectomy in Houston.