Bucket-Handle Meniscus Tear

Meniscus tears come in different shapes and sizes. One type is called a “bucket-handle” tear.

A bucket-handle tear is a tear around the rim of the meniscus, causing the central portion (the bucket-handle) to displace into the joint. These types of tears generally involve large amounts of the meniscus, and are often amenable to meniscus repair (rather than removal of the meniscus). Patients with these bucket-handle tears may have limited motion of the knee joint if the meniscus tear is large enough to get caught inside the knee.

These large tears are more common in younger patients, and are always traumatic injuries (compared to degenerative tears seen in patients with early signs of wear and tear in the knee).