Cartilage (Meniscus) Tears

The cartilage (meniscus) is a small horseshoe shaped mobile shock absorber between the bone ends inside the knee joint. There are two in each knee on either side of the knee. They are immensely strong in young people and are usually only torn in a significant injury unless there is a weakness in the cartilage from birth. As the human body ages the cartilages (and other bits) get more brittle and tears occur more easily.
Cartilage tears are extremely common with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries and the ligament should be reconstructed early (if continuing sport is desired), to help protect the cartilage from subsequent tearing and removal. This in turn leaves the knee at risk of early arthritis.
Cartilage tears usually cause pain and catching localized to the side of the joint and local tenderness and some swelling.
Treatment options can include leaving a small tear alone if it is not causing much trouble (this is safe). Because of the importance of these little shock absorbers in an active knee, complete removal (total meniscectomy) can lead to subsequent arthritis in the knee. Therefore techniques of partial removal (of only the torn bit) and cartilage repair (using a high tech mini staple gun) have been developed. Unfortuneately healing is slow when the cartilage has been repaired rather than removed and a return to sport is usually delayed for 3 months or longer if the ACL has also been reconstructed. The success rate of cartilage repair is 90%. If the repair does not 'take' then torn bit must subsequently be removed.
Cartilage transplant and synthetic cartilage implant techniques are still experimental and controversial. We have had experience (research and clinical) with transplants and our experiences were disappointing.
It should be understood that there can be some confusion with the use of the word 'cartilage'. We are really talking about the meniscus which is the correct medical term. The word 'cartilage' is normally used medically to refer to articular cartilage which is the gristle layer of shock absorber material that coats the surface of the joint. It is made of similar amazing material as the 'meniscus'.(see Osteoarthritis)