44mm displaced bucket-handle meniscus tear — can it still be repaired?

Age: 29, Sex: Male, Height: 170 cm, Weight: 75 kg

Hi everyone,

I hurt my knee last Wednesday while climbing. The MRI confirms a large bucket-handle tear of my medial meniscus, but thankfully, my previous ACL graft from 2020 is completely intact.

I am abroad on vacation so I'm trying to figure out how urgently I need to fly back or see a surgeon here, and what this means for my active lifestyle. I really want to be able to return to sports normally. I'm seeing a surgeon Monday monday.

Here is the English translation of my MRI report:

FINDINGS:

Moderate joint effusion.

Intact ACL graft, maintaining normal orientation, normal thickness, and a clear low signal.

Bucket-handle tear of the medial meniscus, with separation and displacement into the intercondylar notch of a 44 mm meniscal fragment, joining the anterior horn and the posterior root of the medial meniscus anteriorly and posteriorly, respectively.

Intact lateral meniscus.

Intact collateral capsuloligamentous structures.

Minimal superficial chondropathy of the trochlear groove at its middle third.

Millimetric focal chondropathy of the posterior rim of the lateral tibial plateau.

CONCLUSION:

Bucket-handle tear of the medial meniscus, requiring surgical consultation.

Intact ACL graft.

My My questions for anyone who has experienced a bucket-handle tear or a medical professional:

How urgent is this? Since I am traveling, can I wait a bit before seeing a surgeon, or does a 44mm displaced tear in the notch require immediate attention to prevent further cartilage damage? My knee currently feels stiff and I can't open it completely.

Repair vs. Removal? Given the size and displacement, is it usually still possible to repair (suture) a tear like this, or is a partial meniscectomy the standard route? As I said i'm hoping for the best possible outcome for joint health...

Any advice or shared experiences would be hugely appreciated!