Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA
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Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc · May 2003
Arthroscopically assisted meniscal allograft transplantation with and without combined anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.
The menisci provide a vital role in load transmission across the knee joint as well as contribute to knee stability, particularly in the ACL-deficient knee. Loss of the meniscus, in part or in total, significantly alters joint function and predisposes the articular cartilage to degenerative changes, which has been well documented both clinically and radiographically. This study examined clinical and patient-reported outcomes following meniscal allograft transplantation with and without combined ACL reconstruction in a select group of 31 patients with complaints of pain and/or instability (34 meniscal allografts); 11 underwent isolated meniscal transplantation and 20 meniscal transplantation combined with ACL reconstruction. ⋯ Average hop and vertical jump indices were both 85% of the contralateral extremity. No statistically significant joint space narrowing was observed by radiography over time. Meniscal allograft transplantation with and without combined ACL reconstruction in carefully selected patients with complaints of compartmental joint line pain and/or instability appears able to provide relief of symptoms and restore relatively high levels of function, particularly during activities of daily living.