Lateral meniscus allograft transplantation with platelet-rich plasma injections: A minimum two-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to report the short-term clinical and imaging outcomes of lateral meniscus allograft transplantations (LMAT) combined with intra-articular platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection.

METHODS

Thirty-three patients who had undergone LMAT combined with intra-articular PRP injection were evaluated. The Lysholm, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, Tegner activity level scale and visual analog scale for pain scores were used to evaluate the outcomes. Magnetic resonance imaging scans were performed postoperatively to assess graft position and chondral degeneration/damage.

RESULTS

A total of 31 of the original 33 patients were evaluated over a mean follow-up period of 37.0months. Patients demonstrated statistically significant improvements in all scoring data from the pre-operative to two-year follow-up period. The mean postoperative extrusion was 1.59±1.20mm (range 0-3.9mm). There were no significant differences in the distribution of the grade of chondral damage between the pre-operative and two-year follow-up periods. Three patients (9.7%) showed no improvements or had lower evaluation scores. One patient underwent matrix-induced autologous chondrocyte implantation at one year after LMAT.

CONCLUSION

Lateral meniscus allograft transplantation combined with intra-articular PRP injection resulted in statistically significant improvements in all functions and pain scores, and clinical improvements in Tegner, IKDC, and Lysholm values during short-term follow-up. A further case-control study with a larger sample size and longer follow-up is required to obtain an overall assessment of the benefits of PRP on MAT patients. Level of evidence IV.