Summary
In those patients who maintained the implant, the CMI decreased the need for additional surgery for chronic knee injuries. Controls were 3.8 times [CI 95%: 1.2 to 12.4] more likely to require repeat surgery than CMI patients who maintained the implant.
Purpose
Meniscus loss increases the rate of knee degeneration, leading to additional surgeries or even knee replacement. We determined if replacement of meniscus tissue with the Collagen Meniscus Implant (CMI) decreased the need for additional surgeries in multi-operated chronic knees.
Methods
Patients 18 to 60 years old who had undergone one to three prior partial medial meniscectomies and currently had clinical symptoms of meniscus pathology were randomized either to receive CMI or have additional partial meniscectomy (control). Seventy-seven CMI were implanted, but 5 were removed within 6 months for technical reasons. The remaining 72 were compared to 66 controls over 4 years to determine survivorship. Survivorship was defined as not having a second surgery on the study knee.
Results
Four CMI (6%) and 12 control patients (18%) required reoperation through 4 years. Survivorship at one year was 89% for control and 97% for CMI, 87% for control and 95% for CMI at 2 years, 83% and 94% at 3 years, and 79% for control and 94% for CMI at 48 months (Figure 1). CMI patients had a significantly higher survivorship than controls (p=0.02). Controls were 3.8 times [CI 95%: 1.2 to 12.4] more likely to require repeat surgery than CMI patients who maintained the implant.
Conclusions
In those patients who maintained the implant, the CMI decreased the need for additional surgery for chronic knee injuries. The additional tissue regeneration supported by the CMI may decrease progression of degenerative changes and reduce necessity for additional surgeries.
Article info
Identification
Copyright
© 2007 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
