Lateral meniscus allograft transplantation without bone plugs: technique and outcomes

Once considered a non-fundamental structure, the menisci are now known to provide several functions within the knee, including protection of articular cartilage, load-bearing, shock absorption, joint stability, joint lubrification and joint congruity functions. Meniscal tears are one of the most common lesions in knee orthopedics, and partial or total meniscectomies are commonly performed procedures in orthopedic surgery. Despite meniscectomy is well recognized to lead improvement in clinical outcomes, it has been related to early onset knee osteoarthritis and joint degeneration which are associated with pain and functional limitations. Meniscal allograft transplantation has become a viable option for patients under 55 years old that have undergone total or near total meniscectomy and are in a painful state. This procedure can be performed using bone plugs or without bone plugs. In the bone plugs free technique allograft will be presented as a lateral meniscus with a portion of tibial plateau and is then introduced into the joint through an arthroscopic portal and fixed to the capsule with all-inside stitches. The most important aspect required to obtain good clinical results are graft size, anatomic placement and fixation, because extrusion is the most common complication related to meniscal transplantation. Although a lack of long-term follow-up (FU) studies, it has been demonstrated that lateral meniscus transplantation without bone plugs is a minimal invasive surgical procedure that improves the knee function, increases patient physical activity and reduces pain.