HC Chang Orthopaedic Surgery | Singapore

The medial meniscus is attached to the tibial bone at the anterior root and posterior root. It acts almost like a hammock to support the load from weight bearing in the medial compartment of the knee joint.

A posterior root tear of the medial meniscus or a radial tear of the medial meniscus will result in loss of circumferential hoop stress. It is almost as if one end of the hammock is detached and will no longer support the weight of a person lying there. The outcome, if not surgically repaired, is like a total medial meniscectomy. The patient will have accelerated wear of the articular cartilage on the medial compartment of that knee with eventual development of knee osteoarthritis.

This is a patient with a full width radial tear of his right knee medial meniscus. He presented with pain and swelling on the medial aspect of his right knee.

This tear, if not repaired, will result in loss of medial meniscus shock absorption function equivalent to a total medial meniscectomy.

The torn edges of this radial tear were debrided and freshened with an arthroscopic shaver.

Ultrabraid sutures are passed from one leaf of the radial tear to the other leaf using the NOVOSTITCH device.

The stitch is passed and then tied arthroscopically.