It sounds like there will still be enough of your meniscus left after the surgery to provide some cushioning. I never got gel or PRP injections but they probably would have helped.
I had my entire left medial meniscus removed about 20 years ago. The osteoarthritis, coupled with way too many marathons, destroyed the meniscus and it had to be removed. At the time, the surgeon placed a meniscus-shaped piece of titanium (Unispacer) in my knee to replace the meniscus.
Unispacers had a very poor record in practice. The unispacer was supposed to act literally as a spacer to keep the knee joint and legs level. Most of them failed within a year. I had a great surgeon and never had a problem with the unispacer - for 20 years. After all that time, osteoarthritis had pretty much destroyed both knee joints and I had my knees replaced in 2022 with great success. My unispacer? Makes for a great, small paperweight.
The running certainly accelerated the demise of my knees, but it was my genetic disposition to osteoarthritis that did me in. And that's why I say arthroscopic surgery does not cause arthritis. I'm bone-on-bone in both shoulders and both hips. But my weight is slightly below normal for my height, and I work with a trainer and I'm in the gym everyday. So I have no pain in my hips and one shoulder. I do get pain in my other shoulder, but cortisone shots have helped a lot, along with regular exercise.
I do believe that joint replacement should be put off as long as possible. If gel and PRP injections help ease pain and maintain range of motion, well keep that up until it stops working.
I'm also a big advocate for knee replacement when all other options are not viable. It takes a lot of work on the patient's part to make these surgeries a success, but the work pays big dividends.
I am an exercise physiologist and would say that from a genetic standpoint, we are predisposed to osteoarthritis if we do not find the right balance between the sports we love and the physical activities we need to engage to complement and offset the damage.
Bones give shape.
Tendons and ligaments give support.
Muscles define and keep it all together.
If we can all follow these heuristics, we would have less osteoarthritis. I think the arthritis is more suggestive of something than needs to be addressed and is not the problem itself. Also, if we listen to what our body tells us is good- would we be better to listen to "our own advice?"
I would definitely consult on the trade-off of some of the therapies. They don't work for everyone. Also, knee replacements and joint replacements need to take into consideration whether the individual has an immune response to the materials.
Best,
AMS