Five Key Points on Meniscal Allograft Transplantation

Abstract

Meniscus injuries are a common presentation to orthopedic clinics, with hundreds of thousands of meniscectomies and meniscus repairs being performed every year1. As the consequence of osteoarthritis progression has been found to be associated with functional meniscal deficiency, a significant increase in repair surgeries have occurred in recent years2. However, in symptomatic patients with irreparable tears, partial meniscectomy remains the standard of care. Meniscectomy is not harmless and can result in increased contact stress, predisposing the patient to early-onset osteoarthritis. In a select group of patients with persistent unicompartmental pain and symptomatic meniscus deficiency, meniscal allograft transplantation (MAT) has emerged as an acceptable surgical procedure aiming to restore function and improve pain. In many patients, MAT can result in long-term improvement, with a recent systematic review demonstrating favorable graft survival and functional outcomes at a minimum ten years after surgery3. These favorable outcomes demonstrate lasting symptomatic improvement and, though unproven at this time, may decrease the progression of osteoarthritis in the knee. The purpose of this article is to review five key points on the indications, pre-operative considerations and surgical preparation, surgical technique, and common concomitant procedures of MAT.