MENISCAL SUBSTITUTION WITH A TEFLON PERIOSTEAL COMPOSITE GRAFT - A RABBIT EXPERIMENT

A Teflon-periosteal composite graft was used as a substitute for the m edial rabbit meniscus and was followed for a 3 month period. The resul ts were compared to joints with autotransplantation of the medial meni scus and to non-operated control knees. Joint in vitro mechanics were similar to the nonoperated controls for both treatments. Macroscopical ly, all composite menisci had changed in shape and the graft was found as a small remnant at the capsular periphery with prolonged or detach ed attachments resulting in an insufficient coverage of the tibial pla teau. Except for one case, the autografts had healed in, but showed, s imilar to the composite menisci, prolongation of the attachments and i nsufficient coverage of the tibial plateau. The femoral and tibial car tilage showed osteoarthritic changes after both treatments. Except for one specimen, the artificial material was covered and penetrated by f ibrocytes, and was fixed to the capsule without gap formation; however , fibrochondrocytes were not seen. The biological coat was thin and Te flon particles extruded from the matrix in some specimens, which was r eflected by synovitis with foreign body reaction. Knees with autograft s had a simlar low-grade synovitis without any foreign body reaction. The importance of the attachment sites as well as the normal material properties of the substitute is pointed out.