Arthritis and cartilage loss may follow common knee surgery (Medical News Today)
A popular surgery to repair meniscal tears may increase the risk of osteoarthritis and cartilage loss in some patients, according to research presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). The findings show that the decision for surgery requires careful consideration in order to avoid accelerated disease onset, researchers said.
This sagittal intermediate-weighted fat-saturated image shows a typical horizontal-oblique meniscal tear of the posterior horn reaching the undersurface of the meniscus.
Credit: RSNA
The new study focused on the meniscus, a wedge-shaped piece of cartilage in the knee that acts as a shock absorber between the femur, or thighbone, and tibia, or shinbone. The two menisci in each knee also play an important role in joint stability. Meniscal tears are among the most common knee injuries, and surgery is often performed to alleviate pain.
"Meniscal surgery is one of the most common orthopedic procedures performed to alleviate pain and improve joint function," said Frank W. Roemer, M.D., from Boston University School of Medicine in Boston and t...
