Restoring the Meniscus

Replacing the Meniscus

For patients who have had their meniscus removed, The CRC of Indiana offers an innovative option called a meniscal transplant. It is important to remember that, while only what seems is a part of the meniscus was removed, often the effect to the knee (from a functional standpoint) is the same as a total meniscectomy. With meniscal transplantation, a sized-matched cadaver donor meniscus is transplanted into the site of the original meniscus. Unlike other forms of transplantation, this procedure does not require patients to be on medications to prevent rejection. To make you aware of any potential bias, Dr. Farr discloses that he shares a patent for one of the instrumentation systems that assists surgeons in performing the procedure of meniscal allograft transplantation.

Emerging Meniscal Bio-technology

Investigators are now examining the potential of using collagen or another biologic tissue to serve as a bridge or scaffold for the body's own healing/repair mechanism to use in re-establishing the function of the meniscus. In Europe, a collagen scaffold (Collagen Meniscal Scaffold, CMI®) is available for human use, but remains investigational in the US at this time. In the United States, basic science studies have been conducted on the use of other alternative meniscal scaffolds. Dr. Farr has participated in both biological scaffold and adult stem cell clinical studies. As with all meniscal surgery, while the short-term goal is pain relief, the long-term goal is to prevent the development or progression of arthritis; thus possibly eliminating the need for later surgeries such as a total knee replacement. This protective effect remains unproven and will need long-term outcome studies before conclusions can be made.