title: Meniscal allograft transplantation in isolated and combined surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to report the initial results of meniscus allograft transplantation after a 2-year follow-up period with second-look arthroscopy of 18 patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven medial and 11 lateral meniscus allografts were evaluated with a median follow-up of 24.9 months (range, 18-41 months). The clinical outcome and failure rate were evaluated by use of second-look arthroscopy in all patients, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analysis in 17 patients, and standardized outcome scores assessment, including Lysholm score, Knee Injury, and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), visual analog scale (VAS) on pain and satisfaction and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) objective ratings in all patients. Patients were grouped into medial and lateral subgroups as well as those with isolated or combined procedures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For the second-look arthroscopic findings, 6 meniscus transplants (33%) had normal characteristics, 10 (56%) had altered characteristics, and 2 (11%) failed. On MRI, two grafts had grade III signals and 11 showed partially extruded. Patients demonstrated statistically significant improvements in standardized outcome scores and VAS pain scales. Overall, 67% of the patients reported that they were completely or mostly satisfied with the procedure. There were no significant differences in the medial and lateral subgroups and no significant differences were noted in the isolated and combined subgroups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Arthroscopic meniscus transplantation can achieve satisfying subjective and objective clinical outcomes, with a failure rate of 11% after 1-3 years of follow-up, as documented by second-look arthroscopy.
authors.affiliation: Sports Medicine Service, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, 100035 Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Xiang-Su
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.forename: Xue-Song
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ke-Bin
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D059549:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction; D001182:Arthroscopy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000601:surgery / Q000637:transplantation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D020127:Recovery of Function; D024162:Second-Look Surgery; D000070600:Tibial Meniscus Injuries; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome