Meniscus injuries might affect a small part of your knee but can cause major pain, swelling, and limited mobility. At his Palos Hills and Mokena, IL practices, renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Sarkis Bedikian specializes in advanced meniscus surgery techniques.
Dr. Bedikian tailors treatment to your unique needs, offering options such as traditional repair, partial removal, and meniscus replacement. With his extensive experience and compassionate approach, he helps patients find relief and restore knee function.
Below, we discuss three options for meniscus injury management.
Arthroscopic Meniscus Repair
Meniscus repair is an arthroscopic procedure in which Dr. Bedikian uses tiny keyhole-size incisions to access your knee joint with a small camera and specialized tools.
This technique preserves as much of the natural meniscus as possible while allowing Dr. Bedikian to repair tears.
It’s a highly advanced approach to meniscus repair, as this same surgery once required very large (3-4 inch) incisions. The arthroscopic approach allows less bleeding, reduced pain, lower infection risk, and faster healing. Dr. Bedikian performs arthroscopic meniscus repair on an outpatient basis.
Partial Meniscectomy
In some cases, meniscus tears might not be repairable. This may happen due to extensive damage or poor blood supply.
In these cases, Dr. Bedikian may recommend a partial meniscectomy procedure in which he uses the arthroscopic approach to remove the irreparable portions of the meniscus.
This eliminates the loose or hanging piece of tissue causing problems such as knee pain and locking.
A partial meniscectomy can eliminate symptoms while helping prevent the tear from worsening. Like traditional repair, Dr. Bedikian performs this procedure on an outpatient basis.
Meniscus Replacement
For patients with significant meniscus damage or those who have previously undergone meniscus removal, a meniscus transplant may be the best option. In this surgery, Dr. Bedikian removes the entire meniscus and replaces it using donor tissue that he sews precisely into place.
In some cases, he might use internal fixation, like tiny biocompatible screws, to help keep the new meniscus in place as it heals and adapts to your body.
Meniscus replacement relieves pain and movement issues while helping prevent further joint degeneration.
Additional Meniscus Procedures
Sometimes, meniscus tears occur alongside other knee issues, such as joint misalignment. In these cases, Dr. Bedikian may recommend additional procedures to optimize your outcome.
One example is osteotomy, which realigns the knee joint by removing a small piece of bone or adding an implant. This reduces strain on the damaged area and improves knee alignment.
Another example is ACL reconstruction, which repairs the anterior cruciate ligament in the knee. ACL and meniscus tears often happen together, and combining surgeries may make sense.
Meniscus Surgery in Chicago, IL
Dr. Sarkis Bedikian provides comprehensive care for meniscus injuries, offering advanced techniques to ensure the best treatment outcomes. His patient-centric approach means you get a surgical plan adapted to your unique needs.
Call our office at 708-237-7200 in Palos Hills or Mokena, IL, to schedule a consultation and explore your meniscus surgery options.
