The meniscus is a rubbery piece of cartilage between the thighbone and shinbone of the knee. This tissue normally acts as a shock absorber of the knee. A tear can occur acutely, such as in a sports injury, or it can occur as the tissue breaks down with normal aging. A torn meniscus can cause pain, stiffness, swelling, clicking and even locking of the knee. Small tears will likely improve with time and conservative treatment. Large tears will likely require surgical intervention.
In some case studies, treatment of meniscus tears with stem cells has been shown to regenerate tissue and improve the volume of the menisci on MRI evaluation. Some patients have had significant improvement in pain after stem cell procedures. Call to schedule an appointment to discuss your treatment options with one of our physicians, and determine if stem cell treatment is appropriate for you.