A meniscus tear is a common injury to the cartilage that stabilizes and cushions the knee joint. The pattern of the tear can determine whether your tear can be repaired. See a picture of different types of tears . Radial tears sometimes can be repaired, depending on where they are located. Horizontal, flap, long-standing, and degenerative tears-those caused by years of wear and tear-generally cannot be repaired .Surgical repair may be done by open surgery, in which a small incision is made and the knee is opened up so that the surgeon can see inside the knee and the meniscus can be repaired.