Purpose: We report the results of cryopreserved meniscus allograft transplantations with 10
or more years of follow-up. Methods: Fourteen medial and 8 lateral meniscus allografts were evaluated with a mean follow-up
of 141 months (range, 115 to 167 months). The clinical outcome and failure rate was
evaluated by use of a Lysholm score and modified pain score in 22 patients. The results
of radiographic and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analysis were reported in 15
and 7 patients, respectively. Results: Overall, 25% of medial allografts and 50% of lateral allografts failed. The combined
failure rate was 35%. There was a 90% improvement in Lysholm scores, as well as pain
scores. There were no discernible Lysholm or pain score differences for both lateral
and medial allografts. Furthermore, there was no discernible difference in both Lysholm
and pain scores between bone plug and soft-tissue methods of graft fixation. Ten of
fifteen allografts showed radiographic joint space narrowing, and twelve had progression
of degenerative joint disease. On MRI, all grafts had moderate meniscus shrinkage
and five had grade III signal intensities. Eighty-five percent of patients underwent
subsequent procedures, 5 of whom required total allograft resection and 2 of whom
required partial allograft resection. One allograft required repair. Conclusions: Although transplantation of cryopreserved allografts improved knee pain and function,
the average knee function was fair at long-term follow-up. Fifty-five percent of allografts
failed when failure criteria for second-look surgery, knee improvement surveys, and
MRI were added to Lysholm and pain score failures. The protective benefits of meniscus
allografts remain debatable, and inferences cannot be made from this study. Level of Evidence: Level IV, therapeutic case series.
Key Words
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Article info
Footnotes
The authors report no conflict of interest.
NOTE: To access the supplementary tables accompanying this report, visit the April issue of Arthroscopy at www.arthroscopyjournal.org.
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© 2007 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
