Non-Operative Treatment of the Degenerative Medial Meniscus Posterior Root Tear

Ji-Hoon Bae; Han-Ju Kim

doi:10.4055/jkoa.2015.50.5.359

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Bae and Kim: Non-Operative Treatment of the Degenerative Medial Meniscus Posterior Root Tear

Symposium

Medial Meniscus Posterior Root Tear

Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association 2015; 50(5): 359-364.

Published online: 23 October 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4055/jkoa.2015.50.5.359

Non-Operative Treatment of the Degenerative Medial Meniscus Posterior Root Tear

Ji-Hoon Bae, M.D., Ph.D., Han-Ju Kim, M.D.

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Korea University Guro Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Correspondence to: Ji-Hoon Bae, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Korea University Guro Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, 148 Gurodong-ro, Guro-gu, Seoul 08308, Korea. TEL: +82-2-2626-3296, FAX: +82-2-2626-1164, osman@korea.ac.kr

Received 29 June 2015 Revised 30 September 2015 Accepted 2 October 2015

(open-access):

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Degenerative medial meniscus posterior root tear is commonly seen in middle or old age populations. Because the biomechanical status of the meniscus root tear is similar to total menisectomy state, medial meniscus posterior root tear can cause early osteoarthritis. Treatment options for the medial meniscus posterior root tear include non-operative treatment, meniscectomy, repair, and high tibia osteotomy. There is still debate regarding the exact indication of each treatment, because the natural course of the medial meniscus posterior root tear and long-term results of each treatment is not known. However, non-operative treatments provide symptomatic relief and functional improvement in patients who are not indicated for operative treatment or before operative treatment.

Keywords: knee, medial meniscus, root tear, degeneration

Figures and Tables

Figure 1

(A) Coronal magnetic resonance (MR) image showing the medial meniscus posterior root tear (arrow). (B) Marginal osteophytes, full thickness cartilage defect in the medial femoral condyle and medial tibia plateau are seen in same patient. (C) Sagittal MR image showing effusion and a full thickness cartilage defect in the weight bearing area of the medial femoral condyle and medial tibia plateau.

Notes

^{CONFLICTS OF INTEREST} The authors have nothing to disclose.

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