Follow-up of collagen meniscus implant patients: Clinical, radiological, and magnetic resonance imaging results at 5years

Abstract 

This study investigated at medium term follow-up the clinical outcomes and any progression of knee osteoarthritis in a population of patients that underwent arthroscopic placement of a collagen meniscus implant. Thirty-four patients underwent arthroscopic placement of a collagen meniscus implant for a symptomatic deficiency of medial meniscal tissue. Follow-up evaluation included Lysholm II score and Tegner activity scores and MR arthrography of the knee at 2 and 5years after surgery. Plain radiographs were also obtained at 5years. Six patients were excluded. In eight cases arthroscopic second look evaluation was performed. Lysholm and Tegner activity scores at 2 and 5years after surgery improved significantly compared to the preoperative score. These patients showed good to excellent clinical results after 5years from a CMI placement. The chondral surfaces of the medial compartment had not degenerated further since placement of the CMI. MR signal had continued to mature between 2 and 5years after implant, progressively decreasing signal intensity but in any case comparable to the low signal of a normal meniscus. In most of cases the CMI–new tissue complex had a slight reduction in size, compared to a normal medial meniscus, but the new tissue had no apparent negative effects.

Keywords: Meniscus, Collagen, Arthroscopic, Implant, DJD (degenerative joint disease)