| Many young men suffer from knee pain in India after | | | | be damaged. Many young men and women also get |
| a meniscal injury in sports or a two wheeler accident. | | | | their knee done in in a two wheeler accident. |
| This might have resulted in damage to the | | | | What are the initial symptoms? |
| ligaments(ACL) and cartilage and menisci. The pain | | | | Intermittent giving away of the knee and pain can |
| continues despite taking pain killers and physiotherapy. | | | | result if there is persisting damage to the ligaments |
| Menicectomy and Ligament reconstruction would | | | | and menisci. This may lead to a deformity or |
| have been done. As they are young or middle aged, | | | | curvature of the leg bone. Later arthritis develops |
| they have to grin and bear the pain as up to now, | | | | due to increased friction between the soft articular |
| their orthopaedic surgeon did not have any surgical or | | | | cartilages. |
| medical solution except advising the above. It will be | | | | What is done to treat this injury by orthopedic |
| heartening for these patients to hear that a solution | | | | surgeons? |
| to their problems will be available in Chennai shortly. | | | | He might have done an arthroscopy and diagnosed |
| This procedure is called, "Meniscal transplant". It is | | | | the condition. Later he might have advised you to |
| suitable for young men to alleviate their pain for a | | | | undergo surgery to reconstruct the torn ligament and |
| short tem at least. | | | | might have removed torn cartilage. This corrects part |
| What are the menisci? | | | | of the problem. The damaged menisci still remain and |
| The knee joint is made by the lower end of the | | | | no solution has been available so far. |
| thigh bone (femur) and upper end of the leg bone | | | | What is a meniscal transplant? How is the operation |
| (tibia). Two "C" shaped pieces of cartilage interposed | | | | done? |
| between these two bones serve as cushions within | | | | In case you have had a meniscus removed, then it is |
| the joint. They are situated, one on either site. They | | | | now possible to replace it with a meniscus from a |
| have several important functions in the knee joint | | | | recently brain dead person surgically. |
| and damage to them triggers damage to the articular | | | | Transplantation of organs from cadavers is not a |
| or joint cartilage resulting in osteo arthritis, which is | | | | new thing in our country and you might have heard |
| the cause of knee pain. | | | | of kidney, cornea and recently liver transplant. To this |
| These important functions are 1) Acting as shock | | | | list' "Meniscal transplant" is likely to be added soon. |
| absorbers... | | | | The menisci are removed from another person's |
| 2) Increasing the congruity between the ends of the | | | | knee and preserved and stored at minus 85 degrees. |
| two bones within the joint. | | | | When another person with absent menisci needs to |
| 3) Conferring stability to the joint by preventing the | | | | have his knee restored back to the original condition, |
| leg bone from sliding forwards while rapidly climbing | | | | these stored tissue can be transplanted into that |
| downstairs or running around a curve. | | | | person's knee. This is possible using an arthroscope or |
| 4) Promoting and increasing the area of contact | | | | by minimally invasive open surgery. |
| between the two bones, thus preventing overloading | | | | The patient will have to stay in hospital for a day or |
| of the joint. | | | | two and need not consume medication for a |
| How are they damaged? | | | | prolonged period. You might have to remain non |
| When your leg gets twisted in an accident in games | | | | weight bearing for a short period and then get back |
| or a two wheeler, ligaments and menisci are torn. | | | | to normal activities. |
| This results in an immediate swelling of your knee | | | | What is the cost? |
| indicating damage within. You will no longer be able to | | | | It is likely to cost less than one lakh and around 70- |
| continue the game and your knee may feel unsteady. | | | | 80,000 rupees. |
| You might have consulted your doctor and he would | | | | What are the benefits in the short term? |
| have aspirated the blood within. An operation might | | | | As the surgery is often required for young and |
| have done to remove torn cartilage and repair the | | | | active working people, they need not worry about |
| ligaments of the knee. However till date no one has | | | | job losses and productivity. They can remain pain |
| attempted to replace the torn cartilage within the | | | | free for about 10 years. This is certainly a big blessing |
| knee-joint in India. Some might have had the cartilage | | | | for the young whose knees will be doomed to |
| stitched back. Football, hockey, cricket, roller or ice | | | | develop arthritis and need for a knee replacement. |
| skating are the games in which the knee is likely to | | | | |