What tissue bankers should know about the use of allograft meniscus in orthopaedics

Cell Tissue Bank. 2010 Feb;11(1):75-85. doi: 10.1007/s10561-009-9127-2. Epub 2009 Apr 23.

Abstract

The menisci of the knee are two crescent shaped cartilage shock absorbers sitting between the femur and the tibia, which act as load sharers and shock absorbers. Loss of a meniscus leads to a significant increase in the risk of developing arthritis in the knee. Replacement of a missing meniscus with allograft tissue can reduce symptoms and may potentially reduce the risk of future arthritis. Meniscal allograft transplantation is a complex surgical procedure with many outstanding issues, including 'what techniques should be used for processing and storing grafts?', 'how should the allografts be sized?' and 'what surgical implantation techniques might be most appropriate?' Further clinical research is needed and close collaboration between the users (surgeons) and the suppliers (tissue banks) is essential. This review explores the above subject in detail.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Joint Diseases / surgery*
  • Menisci, Tibial / surgery*
  • Organ Culture Techniques / trends*
  • Tibial Meniscus Injuries*
  • Tissue Banks / trends*