HUMAN MENISCAL TRANSPLANTATION - PRELIMINARY-RESULTS AT 2 TO 5-YEAR FOLLOW-UP

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