Two years ago my meniscus cartilage tear in my knee was fixed. Doctors used an arthroscope to pass a suture into the joint to repair the tear. An extra incision was needed to tie the knots to complete the repair. I have been told there is a new technique that repairs the tear using small pegs, which eliminates the extra incision.

The arthroscopic technique you are referring to uses a small arrow-shaped peg that is called a meniscus arrow. Because of the size of meniscus arrows, they can be passed into the knee joint using a 1-inch incision and the arthroscope to direct and visualize their placement. Usually several meniscus arrows are required to stabilize and repair the meniscus tear. Meniscus arrows begin to dissolve after the healing process of the meniscus repair is well on its way. There has been a focus on saving the meniscus cartilage rather than removing it after it has been torn. Loss of the shock absorbing meniscus can precipitate pain and promote arthritis. Using the meniscus arrow to repair the meniscus tears has been a welcomed addition in the treatment of this common problem.