Harvest and conservation of meniscal allografts

Meniscal allografts can be harvested and preserved in different ways. A technique for harvesting and conserving viable allografts is described. The meniscus should be harvested within 12 h after the start of ischaemia. The ideal time for implantation of the viable graft is 10 to 14 days after harvest, in which time a recipient should be identified. Frozen grafts are avital. Cryopreserved grafts are not avital, as 10-30% of the fibrochondrocytes are preserved. Frozen and cryopreserved grafts can be stored for a long time and if a graft bank is established, grafts are always readily available. There is no proven advantage of one graft type over others.