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

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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.

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Acknowledgment

The author wishes to thank Dr Ruth Warwick (NHSBT TS) for her advice and assistance with the preparation of this paper.

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  1. Sports Orthopaedics UK, 166 Northwood Way, Northwood, Middlesex, HA6 1RB, UK

    Ian D. McDermott

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  1. Ian D. McDermott
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Correspondence to Ian D. McDermott.

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McDermott, I.D. What tissue bankers should know about the use of allograft meniscus in orthopaedics. Cell Tissue Bank 11, 75–85 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10561-009-9127-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10561-009-9127-2

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