Bone bridge and bone plug fixation methods for meniscal allograft transplantation / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:Studies have reported that the bone bridge and bone plug for meniscal alograft transplantation show better outcomes than simple soft tissue suture, but there are rare studies concerning the comparison of their fixation effects. OBJECTIVE:To compare the clinical effects of bone bridge and bone plug in meniscal alograft transplantation. METHODS:Eighteen patients undergoing arthroscopy-assisted meniscal alograft transplantation were enroled, including nine cases of bone plug fixation and nine cases of bone bridge fixation. Symptoms, physical examination, visual analog scale, Lysholm and Tegner scores were used to evaluate the clinic outcome. Every 6 months post operation, the signal and morphological changes of alograft meniscus was observed with MRI for each patient. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Al of the 18 patients were folowed up for 12-36 months after transplantation. No complications, absence of knee pain and effusion, and disappearance of the discomfort within the meniscectomy compartments after prolonged activity during folow-up period were found in al patients. The patients were competent of daily life and sports activity. The visual analog scale, Lysholm and Tegner scores were significantly increased after transplantation. MRI showed that the vicariousness and livability of the alograft menisci appeared within 1 year post operation. The safety and feasibility of the arthroscopy-assisted meniscal alograft transplantation were approved. Knee pain, knee effusion and joint stability and function were improved after arthroscopic-assisted alograft meniscus transplantation, and there was no difference between the clinical curative effects of the two kinds of fixed methods.