Money Today reporter Jeong Sim-gyo | 2024.05.02 07:00
[정심교의 내몸읽기]
MRI images before (left) and after surgery of a patient with a damaged meniscus. /Photo=Seoul Yes Hospital#. Mr. Kim (49 years old), who lives in Gangbuk-gu, Seoul, was climbing a mountain to enjoy the spring some time ago when he fell slightly and injured his knee. I rested at home with a compress thinking, “Everything will be fine,” but the pain didn’t ease, so I went to the hospital. Mr Kim, who received an imaging test after a medical examination, was diagnosed with a “torn meniscus”. Mr. Kim, who had difficulty bending and straightening his knee and could not sleep properly due to severe pain, eventually underwent surgery because his meniscus was torn and the damaged area was large.
The somewhat unknown name of the meniscus cartilaginous plate (crescent-shaped) is a tissue in the knee that connects the thigh bone and the shin. It not only absorbs shock but also widens the contact surface of the cartilage to allow better joint movement. It can be damaged in the event of a strong impact such as a sports injury or an accident. Pieces of torn cartilaginous plate become stuck between joints, interfering with joint movement, causing pain and a locking phenomenon in which the knee cannot bend or straighten, causing great discomfort in patients.
At first there is a feeling of weakness in the knee and a slight pain when standing up from a squat or suddenly turning the body. However, if not treated like Mr Kim, it can lead to severe pain and difficulty even walking and can lead to a feeling of being stuck on the inside of the knee or to a stage where the knee fails to straighten properly, so the diagnosis and Early treatment is important. .
Seoul Yes Hospital Joint Center Director Jeong Hyeon-soo (orthopedic specialist) said: “Once the cartilaginous plate is damaged, it cannot be regenerated, so it must be treated,” he added: “Depending on the degree of damage , suture, resection”. “If the cartilaginous plate is extensively torn or the remaining cartilaginous plate is to the point of causing functional problems, cartilaginous plate transplantation is effective,” he explained.
There is also the possibility of articular cartilage damage and articular cartilage defects due to knee diseases with similar symptoms. If you experience a locking phenomenon in which the knee does not straighten or bend well, such as a torn meniscus cartilage, and you hear a “creaking” sound from the inside of the knee, you may suspect a problem with the cartilage articulate. In severe cases, fallen pieces of cartilage can damage normal cartilage, so if symptoms appear, you should seek medical attention from a specialist.
If the damaged area is less than 1 cm, microfracture surgery is effective. This is a procedure that uses the principle of creating a hole in a part of the bone under the cartilage, causing bleeding and then using the reaction to regenerate the cartilage. However, if the area of the cartilage defect is large, more cartilage cells are needed, so “autologous cartilage cell culture transplantation” is performed, in which a small amount of the patient’s normal cartilage tissue is removed, cultured outside the body and then transplanted to the damaged area. Recovery is so fast that you can walk normally 6 to 12 weeks after the transplant.
Cartilage regeneration with stem cells may also be considered. “Intra-articular injection of bone marrow aspiration concentrate,” also known as BMAC, or autologous bone marrow stem cell injection therapy, has recently been performed. Intra-articular injection of bone marrow aspiration concentrate, which was recognized as a new medical technology by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in July last year, is performed as an injection into the cartilage of the knee by collecting the bone marrow from the patient’s pelvis, so daily life is possible immediately after the injection.
Director Jeong Hyeon-soo of Seoul Yes Hospital said: “In cases of meniscus rupture and articular cartilage damage, if left as they are, the extent of the damage may expand and surgery may become inevitable or may favor degenerative arthritis of the knee, so if you have uncomfortable knees, consult a specialist immediately. “You have to do it,” he said. In particular, director Jeong Hyun-soo pointed out that because cartilaginous plate rupture cannot be diagnosed. with X-ray examination only, it is wise to have more accurate tests such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and palpation by an experienced specialist.
[저작권자 @머니투데이, 무단전재 및 재배포 금지]
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