The Tips and Pitfalls of Meniscus Allograft Transplantation

When faced with an irrepairable meniscus or a patient who has had a total or subtotal meniscectomy, meniscus allograft transplantation (MAT) is the preferred modality to restore biomechanical function of the meniscus. The indications for meniscus allograft transplantation are yet to be established. However, currently, MAT has previously been indicated for symptomatic patients who have mild or early osteoarthritis, are younger than 50 years of age, and present with an Outerbridge grade II or lower. The short- to intermediate-term results confirmed noteworthy clinical improvements and consistent objective findings. On the other hand, the successful outcome would be reduced by various complications. Therefore, long-term observation required to evaluate the longevity of these results. The purpose of this article is to review the current research of concerns on the results of MAT, and to describe the technical tips and pitfalls so as to successful clinical results.

The clinical developments of meniscal reconstruction / 中华创伤骨科杂志

With its important functions as load-bearing, shock absorption, stabilization, lubrication and congruency, the meniscus plays an important part in the complex biomechanics of the knee joint. Therefore it is still a challenging question for knee surgeons to reconstruct the function of meniscus which was injured or resected. This review details current efforts to transplant or to replace a meniscus.

Mid-term Follow-up of Meniscus Allograft Transplantation:Report of 4 Cases / 中国微创外科杂志

Objective To evaluate the mid-term(44 months) outcomes of meniscus allograft transplantation in four patients.Methods Between June and July 2005,four patients(3 medial and 1 lateral;3 men and 1 women;aged 21,27,35,38 years) underwent arthroscopy-assisted meniscus allograft transplantation in our hospital.The clinical outcome of the patients was evaluated by assessing the symptoms and signs,IKDC,Lysholm,and Tegner scores and examining the anteroposterior and lateral radiographs of the transplanted knee,weight-bearing radiographs of the both knees,anteroposterior radiographs of the lower extremities as well as magnetic resonance imaging(MRI).One patient underwent second-look arthroscopy. Results The follow-up time was 44-45 months.During the period,all the patients showed a normal motion range of the knee without pain or effusion of the knee joints.The mean IKDC,Lysholm,and Tegner scores of the patients were 84.75?2.63,91.50?4.43 and 7.00?0.82 respectively,which were significantly higher than those detected before the operation(60.50?14.06,69.25?22.04 and 4.00?0.82).The radiological results revealed no obvious degeneration or alignment changes though a 2-mm narrowing was shown in one of the patients.MRI showed mild extrusion for the body of the transplanted medial menisci and Ⅱ to Ⅲ stage signal for the body and the posterior horn.Almost normal performance and tension of the transplanted meniscus was shown by arthroscopy. Conclusions Meniscus allograft transplantation shows good outcomes in mid-term follow-up.MRI is valuable for evaluating the implanted meniscus.