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Dr. Michael
Snedden

Orthopaedic Surgeon @ Central Virginia Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine

Fredericksburg, Virginia

Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr. Michael Snedden gained his certification from the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery in 1986 and has maintained it ever since. Dr. Michael Snedden practiced orthopaedics at the Central Virginia Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine clinic located in Fredericksburg, Virginia. In addition to utilizing his proficiency in orthopaedics at the Central Virginia Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine clinic, Dr. Michael Snedden also instructed students as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Jefferson Medical College, and he served as an Orthopaedic Surgeon at Mary Washington and Stafford Hospitals, as well as the Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center. Additionally, Dr. Michael Snedden has performed as an Orthopaedic Surgeon at Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation Hospital in Pennsylvania, as well as Taylor Hospital, Paoli Hospital, Haverford Hospital, and the Regional Medical Center of the United States Air Force in Wiesbaden, Germany. Dr. Michael Snedden graduated with distinction in 1975 from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Subsequently, he attended Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he earned his M.D. before serving a surgery internship at Emory University and its affiliated hospitals in Atlanta, Georgia. Following the completion of the internship, Dr. Michael Snedden served an orthopaedic surgery residency at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and was awarded a Fellowship in Total Joint Replacement and Adult Reconstruction at the University of South Florida and its affiliated institutions in Tampa. Dr. Michael Snedden was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in 1990, and he has since made many major contributions to his field of expertise via a number of published articles, presentations, and invited lectures, discussing such topics as injuries and conditions related to specific sports, shoulder problems and arthroscopy, hip pain etiology, femoral acetabular impingement of the hip, carpal tunnel syndrome, and musculoskeletal aspirations and injections. Dr. Michael Snedden has received the distinction of the American Medical Association’s Physician’s Recognition Award in Continuing Medical Education seven times, two of which included a Commendation in Continuing Medical Education.


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  • Treating Damage to the Meniscus, Dr. Michael Snedden
    February, 2011
    by Dr. Michael Snedden

    The meniscus cartilage forms an integral part of the shock absorption system of the knee. Two meniscus cartilages exist in each knee, between the femur with the tibia on the inner and outer aspects of the joint. Unfortunately, the knees often receive an inordinate amount of wear and tear through daily activities, work stresses, or sports. As such, the meniscus cartilage is one of the most frequently injured parts of the knee.

    Most of the time, the meniscus receives injury through tearing. Once the tear has occurred, it rarely heals on its own and tends to worsen over time. The torn flaps of meniscus create mechanical irritation within the joint. In the past, surgeons simply removed the meniscus following injury, but it was found that over time, these patients developed particular degenerative diseases of the joint and as such complete meniscus removal has fallen out of favor long ago.

    Several options exist for treating a torn meniscus. For small tears, the torn edge may simply be excised by an orthopaedic surgeon. In most cases this procedure can be performed arthroscopically for minimal downtime and discomfort. Once the fragment of meniscus has been removed the knee functions well, in most cases, and full functional recovery is typical over several months.

    For certain types of meniscus tears the surgeon may elect to conduct a repair. Meniscal repairs involve the suturing of torn tissues. Under the right postoperative conditions, this procedure often leads to the healing of the cartilage. Approximately 80 percent of meniscal repair patients experience positive outcomes, with younger patients having the best outcomes.

    If a large enough volume of the meniscus has been damaged, repair may not be possible. For these patients, the surgeon may choose to conduct a complete meniscal replacement, using either transplanted tissue taken from a donor or an artificial meniscus. The outcome from this procedure is less known than meniscal debridement or repair, but is done to avoid arthritic change at an early age. For artificial meniscus implantation, a highly purified form of collagen is inserted into the knee. This insert grafts to the tissues in the patient’s body and encourages natural tissue growth.

    About the Author: A successful orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Michael Snedden, a member of the Arthroscopy Association of North America, possesses expertise in arthroscopy and the treatment of knee injuries. He has published scholarly work on orthopaedic surgery techniques.