Survivorship After Lateral Meniscal Allograft Transplantation Plus Concurrent Cartilage Procedure in Patients With Poor Cartilage Status: A Comparative Study.

BACKGROUND: The effect of a concurrent cartilage procedure in lateral meniscal allograft transplantation (MAT) in patients with bipolar cartilage lesions (high-grade lesions on both the femoral and the tibial side) is not well studied. An objective evaluation of graft status after MAT and a concurrent cartilage procedure has not been reported.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of concurrent cartilage procedures and lateral MAT on objective and clinical outcomes, including survival, in patients with bipolar cartilage lesions.

STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

METHODS: A total of 149 patients with high-grade (International Cartilage Regeneration & Joint Preservation Society grade 3 or 4) cartilage lesions were enrolled and assigned to 1 of 3 groups based on the cartilage procedure and cartilage status at the time of MAT. Femoral cartilage procedures (microfracture, n = 18; osteochondral autograft transfer, n = 13) and lateral MAT were performed in 31 patients with bipolar cartilage lesions (cartilage procedure group). Another 70 patients with bipolar lesions underwent only lateral MAT without cartilage procedure (bipolar lesion group). The remaining 48 patients, who had high-grade lesions only on the tibial side and underwent lateral MAT without a cartilage procedure, were selected as a control group (unipolar lesion group). Anatomic survival was objectively assessed by follow-up magnetic resonance imaging and second-look arthroscopy. Clinical survivorship was determined with a Lysholm score <65 or need for additional surgery, such as revision MAT.

RESULTS: The mean Lysholm score improved from 67.2 ± 15.9 preoperatively to 86.7 ± 11.1 with a mean follow-up of 78.0 ± 51.2 months ( P < .001). The postoperative scores were not significantly different between the 3 groups. The estimated 5-year anatomic survival rate in the cartilage procedure group (86.7%) was higher than that in the bipolar lesion group (65.0%; P = .043) but comparable with that in the unipolar lesion group (90.2%; P = .572). The estimated 5-year clinical survival rates were not significantly different between the groups ( P = .187).

CONCLUSION: A concurrent femoral cartilage procedure improved the anatomic survival rate in patients with bipolar chondral lesions who underwent lateral MAT. This finding suggests that the cartilage procedure is an effective treatment choice and may improve the status of an allograft after lateral MAT for patients with bipolar cartilage lesions.