This book is a comprehensive journey through the pathogenesis and treatment of meniscal pathology. It details the elements that are necessary to properly understand, diagnose, and treat meniscal tears, ranging from vertical tears to radial tears and root avulsions. Treatment techniques are thoroughly described and illustrated, with presentation of the latest evidence on outcomes.The algorithmic treatment of meniscal tears has undergone a rapid transformation. We have progressed from the initial treatments involving removal of the meniscus using an open technique, to the performance of partial meniscectomies and complex meniscal repairs by means of an arthroscopic technique. The current treatment goal is to maintain the biology and mechanical integrity of this vital knee structure, an aim too often disregarded by past generations of surgeons. An explosion of new knowledge, coupled with advances in arthroscopic and surgical technology, has paved the way for wider application of approaches that help to preserve the meniscus, in the hope of preventing or delaying the development of knee arthritis. This book will have utility for all clinicians who treat meniscal lesions and will serve as a valuable resource for years to come.

Robert F. LaPrade, MD, PhD, is a Complex Knee and Sports Medicine Surgeon at the Steadman Clinic in Colorado, USA, where he is Co-Director of both the Sports Medicine Fellowship Program and the Athletic Training Fellowship Program. In addition, he is Chief Medical Officer at the Steadman Philippon Research Institute and Affiliate Faculty in the Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine& Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University. Dr. LaPrade is currently Chair of the ISAKOS Sports Medicine Committee and a member of the ISAKOS Program Committee. He is also a member of the American Journal of Sports Medicine (AJSM) Ethics Committee, a member of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) Board of Directors, and AOSSM Research Chair. He has published 276 articles in peer-reviewed journals and was editor of the 2006 book Posterolateral Knee Injuries: Anatomy, Function and Treatment (Thieme, New York) as well as co-editor of a recent iBook, Complex Knee Surgery Made Easy.

Meniscal anatomy and vascular supply.- Biomechanical function of the menisci.- Classification of meniscal tears.- Meniscectomy-updates on techniques and outcomes.- Meniscal root tears - a missed epidemic: how should they be treated?- Meniscal ramp lesions-diagnosis and treatment strategies.- Peripheral meniscal tears - how to diagnose and repair.- Radial meniscal tears - updates on repair techniques and outcomes.- All-inside meniscal repair - updates on techniques.- Step by step surgical approaches for meniscal repairs.- The role of alignment in meniscal tears and the role of osteotomy.- Outside-in meniscal repair techniques and outcomes.- Biologic augmentation of meniscal repairs.- Meniscal repair outcomes-isolated versus combined with other procedures.- Treatment of meniscus degeneration and meniscal cysts.- Discoid Menisci and their treatment.- Updates and outcomes on meniscal transplants.- Conclusions and future directions.