Quick Answer: What Is Meant By White-white Zone In Orthopedics?

What is the white zone of the meniscus?

The vascular portion is called the “red zone ” due to the presence of capillaries in the meniscal tissue. The avascular portion is called the “ white zone ” due to its absence of blood supply. Red zone tears have the potential to heal and white zone tears will likely never heal.

What are the three zones of the meniscus?

You can break up the meniscus into three zones, the anterior horn, the body, and the posterior horn. One of the problems the meniscus runs into is that because it is a cartilage, it lacks a certain amount of blood flow to the tissue for proper healing properties.

What types of meniscus tears can be repaired?

6 Types of Meniscus Tears

• Radial Tear. The most common type of tear to the meniscus is a radial tear.
• Horizontal Tear. A horizontal meniscus tear is one of the easiest types of tears to repair in the knee.
• Incomplete Tear.
• Complex Tear.
• Flap Tear.
• Bucket Handle Tear.
• Knee Surgeons in Central Maryland.

What is the red zone of the meniscus?

The red zone refers to the outer third of the meniscus. The term red is used to signify that this zone receives some degree of a blood supply. Meniscal tears in this zone can often be repaired. This is in contrast to the white zone, which refers to the inner two-thirds of the meniscus.

What is a Grade 3 meniscal tear?

Meniscus tears, indicated by MRI, are classified in three grades. Grades 1 and 2 are not considered serious. They may not even be apparent with an arthroscopic examination. Grade 3 is a true meniscus tear and an arthroscope is close to 100 percent accurate in diagnosing this tear.

Will walking on a torn meniscus make it worse?

People usually feel pain, but can still walk. Sometimes swelling also occurs and it may get worse over time. You also might feel your knee getting stiffer.

How long does meniscus injury take to heal?

Meniscus tears are the most frequently treated knee injuries. Recovery will take about 6 to 8 weeks if your meniscus tear is treated conservatively, without surgery.

Which meniscus is more commonly injured?

The medial meniscus is more vulnerable to injury to due to its intimate attachment to the medial collateral ligament. The moveable lateral meniscus is less prone to tear except when the ACL is injured.

Is meniscus tear common?

A torn meniscus is one of the most common knee injuries. Any activity that causes you to forcefully twist or rotate your knee, especially when putting your full weight on it, can lead to a torn meniscus.

Is it better to repair or remove meniscus?

In general, it’s better to fix the meniscus than to remove it. Some types of tears can’t be fixed. For example, radial tears sometimes can be fixed, but it depends on where they are. But most horizontal, long-standing, and degenerative tears—those caused by years of wear and tear—can’t be fixed.

Can a meniscus tear be seen on xray?

Because a torn meniscus is made of cartilage, it won’t show up on X-rays. But X-rays can help rule out other problems with the knee that cause similar symptoms. MRI.

Does Grade 1 meniscus tear need surgery?

If your doctor’s exam shows your meniscus tear is mild ( Grade 1 or 2), you may not need surgery. If it’s Grade 3, you probably will. Your doctor might choose to do any of the following: Arthroscopic repair.

Can the meniscus heal itself?

In the case of meniscus tears, some people think the injury will heal over time on its own. But the truth is that there are different types of meniscus tears — and some tears won’t heal without treatment. If your tear is on the outer one-third of the meniscus, it may heal on its own or be repaired surgically.

What should I avoid with a torn meniscus?

The patient should avoid pivoting and squatting and should work on keeping the quadriceps muscles strong. If the swelling and pain have not resolved in 6 weeks, they usually won’t without surgical intervention.

How important is the meniscus?

The meniscus has an important function inside the knee as a shock absorber that helps distribute the load of the body. If the entire meniscus is removed, the rest of the joint gets overloaded and the knee is susceptible to arthritis. This is why the surgeon will save as much of the meniscus as possible.