Editorial Commentary: Long-Term Outcomes of Fresh-Frozen Meniscal Allografts-Shrinkage Progresses, but Is It Clinically Significant?

Abstract

Meniscal allograft transplantation has been reported to be an excellent treatment for young patients with symptoms related to meniscal deficiency. To date, several studies reporting on extrusion or shrinkage after a meniscal transplant have failed to correlate these findings with clinical outcomes. However, longevity, graft durability, and overall joint health have yet to be determined in the context of graft extrusion and shrinkage. Given a growing body of evidence showing varying degrees of shrinkage over time with no effect on functional outcome, allograft morphologic changes may not be as clinically important as once thought from a clinical standpoint.