title: Biodegradable polyurethane meniscal scaffold for isolated partial lesions or as combined procedure for knees with multiple comorbidities: clinical results at 2 years.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety and clinical efficacy of this novel polyurethane meniscal scaffold to treat partial meniscal loss.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen patients (11 men and 7 women, mean age: 45 years) affected by irreparable acute meniscal tears requiring partial meniscectomy or chronic prior loss of meniscal tissue were enrolled in the study. They underwent arthroscopic polyurethane meniscal scaffold implantation (13 medial and 5 lateral) and, in case of presence of other comorbidities, concurrent procedures were also performed. Patients were prospectively evaluated up to 2 years of follow-up through IKDC objective, IKDC subjective, and Tegner scores. Furthermore, MRI evaluation of the meniscal scaffold was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No major adverse events were observed. A statistically significant increase in all the clinical parameters considered was found. The IKDC objective score increased from 61 % of normal or nearly normal knees at basal evaluation to 94 % at 2 years of follow-up (p = 0.01). There was also a significant increase in the IKDC subjective score both at 6-12 months of follow-up (p = 0.03 and p < 0.005), which was confirmed at 24 months. The Tegner score also showed a significant increase from the pre-operative level (median value 2, range 1-5) to final evaluation (median value 3, range 2-5; p = 0.005), albeit not reaching the pre-injury sports activity level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The implantation of this novel polyurethane scaffold proved to be a safe and potentially effective procedure to treat partial meniscal loss with encouraging results at short-term follow-up. Further high-quality studies with larger numbers of patients and longer evaluation times are needed to confirm these preliminary data.
authors.affiliation: Nano-Biotechnology Laboratory, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Via di Barbiano n. 1/10, 40136, Bologna, Italy, e.kon@biomec.ior.it.
authors.forename: Elizaveta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kon
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Filardo
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zaffagnini
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Martino
authors.forename: Berardo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Di Matteo
authors.forename: Giulio Maria
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Marcheggiani Muccioli
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Busacca
authors.forename: Maurilio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marcacci
mesh_terms: D020341:Absorbable Implants; D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011140:Polyurethanes; D044968:Regenerative Medicine; D012421:Rupture; D000070600:Tibial Meniscus Injuries; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds
chemical_list: D011140:Polyurethanes