Arthroscopic meniscal transplants in soccer players: outcomes at 2- to 5-year follow-up.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the midterm effects of meniscal transplants on clinical and functional knee scores and on the return to sports rate in soccer players.

DESIGN

Retrospective case series.

SETTING

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Clínica del Pilar, Barcelona, Spain.

PATIENTS: Fifty-nine meniscal transplants in 57 patients between 2001 and 2006 were reviewed. Only soccer players with a history of meniscectomy and no other ipsilateral knee surgeries before or after the meniscal transplant were included in the study. Fifteen patients met inclusion criteria.

INTERVENTION: Main outcomes were obtained from the sample after meniscal transplant and compared with preoperative data, with a mean follow-up of 36 months. A subgroup analysis was performed considering the degree of chondral lesion (no lesions, grade I-II, and grade III-IV).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Scores on Lysholm, Subjective International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) form, and visual analog scale (VAS) scale for pain and information regarding return to play.

RESULTS

One of the 15 patients had a graft failure (6.6%) after a daily life accident. Twelve of the 14 patients included in the analysis (85.7%) returned to play soccer. Patients demonstrated significant improvements for Lysholm (P = 0.006), Subjective IKDC Form (P = 0.001), and VAS for pain (P < 0.0001) scores after the meniscal transplant. Depending on the degree of chondral lesion (subgroup analysis), there were no significant interactions for Lysholm, Subjective IKDC Form, and VAS for pain scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Arthroscopic meniscal transplants improve knee symptoms and knee function and allow return to play in soccer players, regardless of the degree of chondral lesion.