RESEARCH & ARTICLES

Meniscal Transplantation in Symptomatic Patients Under Fifty Years of Age: Survivorship Analysis

Purpose: To determine the long-term results and survivorship of meniscal transplantation in a consecutive series of 38 patients.

Summary:

• At ten years, 63% of patients did not require subsequent surgery and did not have pain or symptoms performing daily activities
• At an average of 11 years follow-up, significant improvements were found in patient pain, swelling, walking, stair-climbing and squatting according to the Cincinnati Knee Rating System
• Estimated probabilities of transplant survival are 88% at five years, 63% at ten years and 40% at fifteen years
• Data indicates that the majority of cryopreserved meniscal transplants may fail in the long term.

Take Away: Due to the improvement in function and decrease in symptoms the procedure is justified in young patients who are experiencing pain and functional disability following meniscectomy. Transplantation helps to delay articular cartilage deterioration but it is likely that additional surgery will be required at some point.

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Study Design: Retrospective Study; Level of Evidence: 4

Authors: Frank R. Noyes, MD and Sue D. Barber-Westin, BS

Published: "Meniscal Transplantation in Symptomatic Patients Under Fifty Years of Age: Survivorship Analysis". The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. 2015 Aug 5;97(15):1209-19.

Institution: The Noyes Knee Institute, The Jewish Hospital-Mercy Health, Cincinnati, Ohio