The Tips and Pitfalls of Meniscus Allograft Transplantation

with severe degenerative changes or radial tears that extend to the joint capsule.Since first introduced by Milachowski et al. 11) in 1989, meniscus allograft transplantation (MAT) has been the subject of many studies 12) and widely performed for pain relief and functional improvement.However, a variety of methods have been employed without a proper establishment of techniques [13][14][15] .The purpose of this article is to review the outcomes of MAT and describe technical tips for successful transplantation and possible pitfalls. Meniscus Transplantation 1. IndicationsThe indications for MAT remain controversial.The most common candidates for the procedure are those who are ≥20 and <50 years of age with previous meniscectomy, have no severe degenerative changes and joint instability, present with local pain or swelling in the meniscus-deficient compartment, and show normal lower limb alignment [16][17][18] .Meniscus transplantation has been known to produce unsatisfactory results in the knees with advanced arthrosis, and hence, the procedure has been recommended in patients with Outerbridge grade I-II cartilage damage 12,19,20) .On the other hand, some recent studies reported that the procedure resulted in clinical and functional improvement when performed on carefully selected patients with Outerbridge grade III-IV cartilage damage [21][22][23][24] and inThe Tips and Pitfalls of Meniscus Allograft Transplantation