My mother had torn a cartilage many years ago and it was removed. Do doctors still do that?

Yes, sometimes when a cartilage is torn, it is removed – this is called a meniscectomy (removal of the meniscus, which is another name for cartilage). A meniscal repair or ligament repair is just that – the surgeon repairs the damaged ligament or he or she can do a ligament reconstruction.

The decision is based on the extent of the injury, the cause, and the location of the injury.