Expert: Removal Of Damaged Meniscus 'Likely' For Derrick Rose
(CBS) It's "very likely" that Bulls point guard Derrick Rose will need the damaged portion of his right meniscus removed as opposed to having it repaired again, a doctor of sports medicine in the Chicago area told the Mully and Hanley Show on Thursday morning.
Because Rose already suffered a previous tear in his right meniscus in November 2013 and had it repaired, odds are there won't be the opportunity to have it repaired again, said Dr. Mark K. Bowen, an orthopedic surgeon and division head of sports medicine with the NorthShore University HealthSystem.
"My guess is that very likely this will require removing part of his meniscus," Bowen said. "That's called a partial meniscectomy.
"Most of the time the meniscus isn't in the condition that it can be repaired a second time.
"The meniscus is a pretty finicky structure. It has a very poor blood supply, and there are only certain tears that are amenable to repair. It has to be a tear that's completely within the blood supply area, which is what allows the healing to occur.
"You always like to leave the option open to repair, but statistically, repairs are quite infrequent compared to the necessity of removing part of the meniscus."
Surgery hasn't yet been scheduled for Rose, but reports indicate it will happen sooner rather than later. Having the meniscus repaired leads to a longer rehabilitation process, as when Rose suffered that injury in November 2013 and missed the remainder of the 2013-'14 season.
Having the damaged portion of the meniscus removed warrants a shorter rehab but leaves patients open to greater risk for arthritis and long-term troubles.
There won't be a timetable known for Rose's return until surgery is completed, the Bulls have said, but privately they believe this meniscus tear isn't as extensive as Rose's last one, according to multiple reports.
Team physician Dr. Brian Cole will perform the surgery on Rose, and he'll know "within seconds of being in there what really needs to be done," said Bowen, who doesn't treat Rose.
From afar, Bowen believes Rose can get back to the level he was playing at earlier this season, emphasizing the injury isn't career-threatening but yet another tedious delay on a career clock that's ticking.
"I'm absolutely certain they are not going to rush him, and I wholly support that approach," Bowen said. "This is a long-term issue for him and needs to be dealt with very carefully.
"He's been through two really difficult rehabs, two of the hardest ones you can go through. Not to make light of this, but I think this one is going to be surprisingly easier for him. But as you said, it's still necessary to go through the steps because you can injury other things or you can cause stress to the knee.
"I would expect, given the special athlete that he is, that he will come back and perform at the level you expect him and in the game I saw him in before the All-Star break (in a 30-point effort against the Cavaliers)."
