Meniscectomy: The basics

Abstract

Often, tears of the meniscus tissue occur in the zone of poor vascularity and are not amenable to repair. In these scenarios, the torn meniscus tissue must be excised. The goals of meniscectomy surgery are to essentially remove the damaged fragment and leave behind a smooth contour in the remaining meniscus tissue. The careful positioning of the patient and portal placement are essential for navigation through the joint without damage of the native tissue. A thorough diagnostic arthroscopy should always be performed first prior to intervention to ensure that no pathology is missed and to decrease the need for reoperation. Once a nonviable piece of torn meniscus is located, it may be removed using various arthroscopic tools such as biters and shavers to reach the goals of the surgery.