Human meniscal transplantation. Preliminary results at 2 to 5-year follow-up

In a prospective study, we evaluated the clinical results of 23 patients with a cryopreserved non-tissue-antigen-matched meniscal transplant at a follow-up of from two to five years. These early results were satisfactory in 20 patients. Three transplantations failed and the allografts were removed after 12, 20 and 24 months. Post-transplantation arthroscopy showed that most meniscal transplants had healed to the knee capsule. Histological examination showed revascularisation of the transplant and evidence of viable meniscal chondrocytes. The failures were probably caused by malalignment, resulting in impaired revascularisation of the graft.