Meniscal Transplant

When a meniscus is 100% de-functioned or removed the relevant compartment of the knee will be expected to degenerate at an accelerated rate.

To reproduce a meniscus there are two possibilities. The first is a meniscal allograft which is tissue donated by an organ donor. A patient of similar mass and size donates the allograft after death and this is used to replace a lost meniscus. The other option is an "off the shelf" meniscus implant.

In South Africa all meniscal allograft are irradiated to decrease infectious risk. This unfortunately decreases the mechanical properties of the protein of the meniscus and results are therefore not as predictable.

The meniscal transplant with "off the shelf" meniscal implants has been very successfully performed and tested world-wide with ever improving results.

I perform these surgeries myself and have had excellent results and return to function of the patients.