Meniscal repair
- Bracing and limited weight-bearing early on
- Gradual increase in motion and loading
- Rehab often in the 3–4 month range before higher-impact activities
Orthopaedic Services
Meniscal Repair & Allograft Transplantation
The meniscus is a crucial shock absorber in your knee. When possible, Dr Lawyer repairs or replaces it to protect your cartilage and keep you moving.
What is the meniscus & why does it matter?
Each knee has two menisci: C-shaped pads of fibrocartilage that act as shock absorbers and stabilisers between the thighbone and shinbone.
A torn meniscus can cause:
- Pain along the joint line
- Swelling after activity
- Locking, catching, or clicking
- A sense that the knee can’t fully trust weight-bearing
Preserving the meniscus helps protect joint cartilage and may reduce the risk of arthritis over time.
Meniscal repair: preserving your own tissue
Whenever possible, Dr Lawyer performs meniscal repair rather than removal.
Through small arthroscopic incisions, she can:
- Trim only non-repairable fragments when needed
- Suture repairable tears back together
- Combine repair with ligament or cartilage surgery when appropriate
Repairs require a more careful rehabilitation period than simple trimming, but they help preserve natural knee biomechanics.
Meniscal repair: preserving your own tissue
For younger, active patients who have lost most or all of a meniscus and have ongoing pain, meniscal allograft transplantation may be an option.
This involves:
- Matching donor meniscus tissue to your knee size
- Arthroscopic and mini-open techniques to secure the graft
- Structured rehab to allow the graft to incorporate
Not everyone is a candidate. Factors include age, alignment, cartilage status, ligament stability, and activity level.
Recovery & expectations
- More prolonged protection and staged loading
- Running and impact often delayed until graft is well-healed
- Goals include pain reduction, better function, and joint preservation rather than “curing” arthritis
Meniscal transplant
AAOS has a patient guide on meniscal transplant surgery: Meniscal Transplant Surgery.
Meniscus FAQs
Not necessarily. But preserving meniscus tissue where possible can help protect cartilage. Your long-term outlook depends on many factors, including alignment, previous injuries, and activity load.
No. A transplant replaces the missing meniscus, not the entire joint. It’s often considered in younger patients as a joint-preserving option.
This varies by tear pattern and associated procedures, but many people progress back to sport over 3–6 months with a structured rehab programme.