Lateral meniscus allograft transplantation using a single-incision technique

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Sports medicine
• Regenerative medicine

Background:

• Meniscus allograft transplantation (MAT) is a viable option for patients with significant meniscus loss.
• Traditional MAT techniques often require multiple incisions, increasing surgical morbidity.
• There is a need for less invasive MAT procedures to improve patient recovery and outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate a novel arthroscopically assisted meniscus allograft transplantation (MAT) technique.
• The technique utilizes a single anterior arthrotomy incision, avoiding posterior incisions.
• To assess the clinical efficacy and safety of this minimally invasive MAT approach.

Main Methods:

• A modified all-inside suture technique was used for the posterior horn of the allograft meniscus.
• This modification eliminated the need for a conventional inside-out technique and associated posterior incision.
• Thirteen patients with lateral meniscus deficiency underwent MAT using the novel technique, with outcomes assessed using Lysholm, IKDC, and Tegner scores.

Main Results:

• The median follow-up was 21 months, with significant improvements observed in Lysholm (85.0) and IKDC subjective scores (80.0).
• Patient activity levels, measured by the Tegner scale, also showed a significant improvement post-surgery.
• No patients required secondary surgical procedures, indicating the technique's safety and efficacy.

Conclusions:

• The novel single-incision MAT technique is effective and provides satisfactory clinical outcomes.
• This minimally invasive approach offers advantages over traditional multi-incision techniques.
• The single-incision MAT is a promising option for patients undergoing lateral meniscus allograft transplantation.