PROF. DR. SAMMY HANNAMD · FACS · FRCS (TR&ORTH) · CCT (TR&ORTH)
MENISCUS INJURIES · ABU DHABI
Meniscus symptoms may follow a twist, appear after sport or develop gradually in a knee with age-related change. Prof. Dr. Sammy Hanna connects the mechanism, joint-line symptoms, physical examination, function and selective imaging before deciding whether rehabilitation, observation or a meniscus-preserving procedure is appropriate. Meniscus tear treatment in Abu Dhabi is available at Healthpoint Hospital.
CHAPTER 01 · THE PATTERN
Choose the closest description. The pattern helps organise the assessment; it does not confirm a meniscus tear on its own.
An acute meniscal tear can occur during twisting or pivoting, especially when the foot is planted. The assessment should also check for ligament injury, swelling, joint-line tenderness and whether the knee feels stable.
See what the examination checks →CHAPTER 02 · EXAMINATION
History and physical examination come before the scan. The aim is to connect the mechanism, joint-line symptoms, movement, swelling and stability with the activities the knee can no longer perform.
Twisting pain, joint-line tenderness, swelling, catching or loss of motion can support the diagnosis, but no single symptom confirms it.
Medial or lateral joint-line tenderness helps localise the clinical pattern and is interpreted with the rest of the examination.
Loss of extension, true locking or pain at deeper flexion may change the urgency and the treatment discussion.
ACL and collateral ligament testing matters because meniscal injuries may occur with other stabilising structures.
Effusion, cartilage or arthritic change, patellofemoral symptoms and limb mechanics may all influence which finding is actually driving the problem.
“The question is not simply whether a tear exists—it is whether the tear explains the knee in front of you.”
CHAPTER 03 · IMAGING
MRI is the preferred imaging test when an acute meniscal tear needs confirmation or when the result is likely to change management. In more gradual or degenerative presentations, imaging is interpreted alongside symptoms, examination and any arthritic change rather than treated as a diagnosis in isolation.
SELECTED OBSERVATION 01 / 03
CHAPTER 05 · DECISION
Not because an MRI reports a tear. Surgery becomes relevant when symptoms, examination, function and tear characteristics support a mechanical problem that is likely to benefit from an operative approach, or when an acute repairable tear is clinically suitable for preservation.
The clinical pattern and examination support the meniscus as an important pain or mechanical source.
Locking, recurrent catching, pain with load or inability to return to required activity has meaningful impact.
Location, pattern, tissue quality, chronicity and blood supply influence whether repair is feasible.
Ligament injury, cartilage damage and osteoarthritis may change the expected benefit and the procedure chosen.
IF A PROCEDURE BECOMES PART OF THE DISCUSSION
These pages explain procedures that may be considered after an individual assessment.
THE FUNCTION THAT MATTERS
Success is not simply the disappearance of a scan finding. It may mean walking, squatting, working, changing direction in sport or returning to training without recurrent swelling, locking or loss of confidence.
RELATED CLINICAL ROUTES
Knee symptoms overlap. These routes help compare the meniscus with ligament, cartilage and arthritic patterns without assuming the scan explains everything.
MENISCUS INJURIES FAQ
General information only. A diagnosis and personal recommendation require an individual clinical assessment.
Request an appointmentThe knee has medial and lateral menisci. These fibrocartilage structures help distribute load, contribute to stability and protect the articular surfaces during movement.
No. Treatment depends on the tear pattern, symptoms, timing, associated knee problems, function and whether the tissue is likely to be repairable. Many tears can be managed without surgery.
No. History and examination come first. MRI is the preferred imaging test when an acute meniscal tear needs imaging confirmation or when the result is likely to change management. Degenerative tears often do not require immediate MRI, particularly when there are no persistent mechanical symptoms.
Some tears—particularly selected peripheral tears with a better blood supply—may heal or become manageable without surgery. Healing potential depends on location, pattern, stability, tissue quality and the rest of the knee.
When surgery is indicated, repair may be considered when the tear pattern, location and tissue quality provide a reasonable healing opportunity. Preserving functional meniscal tissue is preferred when feasible.
Repair aims to preserve and heal the torn meniscus. Partial meniscectomy removes only unstable or irreparable torn tissue when surgery is otherwise appropriate. Rehabilitation and recovery differ between the procedures.
A knee that becomes acutely locked and cannot fully straighten after injury needs prompt clinical assessment because displaced meniscal tissue or another mechanical problem may be blocking motion.
YOUR CLINICAL STORY
Bring the injury timeline, what movements trigger pain or catching, whether the knee swells or locks, previous imaging and the activities you want to return to. The consultation connects those pieces before the treatment conversation begins.
YOUR SPECIALIST
Prof. Hanna is a UK board-certified consultant orthopaedic hip and knee surgeon at Healthpoint Hospital, Abu Dhabi. His clinical interests include arthroscopic surgery for sports and soft-tissue knee injuries alongside primary, complex and revision joint replacement, partial knee replacement, minimally invasive techniques and robotic-assisted hip and knee replacement.