FOR PEOPLE WITH SEVERE KNEE PAIN AFTER UNDERGOING MENISCUS REMOVAL, A MENISCUS TRANSPLANT MAY IMPROVE THE SITUATION, RESEARCHERS FROM RUSH MEDICAL COLLEGE IN CHICAGO REPORT, ACCORDING TO REUTERS. THE AUTHORS OF AN ARTICLE IN THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE EXPLAIN THAT ONLY QUITE RECENTLY HAS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MENISCUS, A CRESCENT-SHAPED FIBROUS CARTILAGE IN THE KNEE JOINT, BEEN REALIZED. PREVIOUSLY, A DAMAGED MENISCUS WAS OFTEN REMOVED, AND EVEN TODAY IT'S NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE TO REPAIR MENISCUS INJURY. TRANSPLANTATION OF A MENISCUS DONATED BY A DECEASED PERSON MAY BE A TREATMENT OPTION FOR PATIENTS WITH DEBILITATING PAIN AND LOW-GRADE ARTHRITIS FOLLOWING MENISCUS REMOVAL, OR MENISCECTOMY, SAY DR. BRIAN J. COLE AND COLLEAGUES. THE TEAM EVALUATED THE EARLY-TERM RESULTS OF 45 MENISCUS TRANSPLANTS IN 40 CONSECUTIVE PATIENTS. THE PROCEDURE LED TO SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN SPORTS ACTIVITY AND SCORES ON KNEE-FUNCTION SCALES, AS WELL AS QUALITY-OF-LIFE MEASURES. SIMILARLY, SCORES IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY WITH REGARD TO BOTH PAIN AND OVERALL KNEE CONDITION, THE RESULTS INDICATE, AND THREE QUARTERS OF THE PATIENTS REPORTED BEING COMPLETELY OR MOSTLY SATISFIED WITH THE RESULTS OF THE TRANSPLANT. THIRTY-ONE OF 36 PATIENTS (86%) SAID THEY WOULD HAVE THE SURGERY AGAIN UNDER COMPARABLE CIRCUMSTANCES IN THEIR OTHER KNEE. ONLY THREE PATIENTS REQUIRED KNEE ARTHROPLASTY FOR FAILED TRANSPLANTS WITHIN 12 MONTHS AFTER THE PROCEDURE, THE RESEARCHERS NOTE. "ALTHOUGH THE EARLY CLINICAL RESULTS OF MENISCUS TRANSPLANTATION REMAIN ENCOURAGING, IT IS STILL NOT KNOWN WHETHER MENISCUS TRANSPLANTS DELAY OR PREVENT DEGENERATIVE CHANGES OF THE KNEE," COLE AND COLLEAGUES POINT OUT.
