title: Clinical evaluation of arthroscopic-assisted allograft meniscal transplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A meniscal deficient knee is at risk of early degenerative osteoarthritis. Allograft meniscal transplantation has been used to treat the meniscus deficiency to alleviate pain symptoms and to delay progression to arthritis. This case series aims to assess the postoperative outcomes of patients who have undergone meniscal allograft transplantation in our hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a prospective clinical review of prospectively collected data of our Meniscal Transplantation Programme from 2004 to 2007. Twelve meniscal allografts were implanted in 12 males with symptomatic knees, using arthroscopically assisted techniques. Preoperative and postoperative assessments were conducted using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Tegner Activity Level Scale, Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale, and 2000 International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) scoring systems.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age was 26.7 years with a mean follow-up of 17 months (range, 5 to 37). The VAS score for pain improved from 5.5 (3- 10) to 1.4 (0-2) [P <0.05], Tegner from 3 (2-5) to 5.9 (3-9) [P <0.05], Lysholm from 62.5 (27-88) to 88.6 (70-100) [P <0.05], IKDC Subjective Score from 50 (24-79) to 79.5 (56-95) [P <0.05]. Overall IKDC Knee Examination Grades revealed 10 nearly normal and 2 abnormal scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first series of allograft meniscal transplantation from Southeast Asia. Patient outcome evaluation via VAS, Tegner Activity Level Scale, Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale and 2000 IKDC Knee Evaluation Form showed improvement in symptoms and knee function after implantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Changi General Hospital, Singapore. hcchang@ortho.com.sg
authors.forename: Haw Chong
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Kai Lin
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Teh
authors.forename: Kah Lai
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Leong
authors.forename: Su Lian
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Mak
authors.forename: Sarina Abdul
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Karim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001182:Arthroscopy; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000637:transplantation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000070600:Tibial Meniscus Injuries; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome