The results of meniscal transplantation are very good, but not perfect and not guaranteed. Nothing is as good as your own natural original meniscus, and also by the time that most patients come to see me seeking possible meniscal transplantation they’ve normally got other damage in the knee (such as ligament tears) and/or already begun to develop articular cartilage damage, with wear and tear / early degenerative changes.
Overall, 85% of patients achieve a good or excellent outcome after meniscal transplantation (when reviewed at 5-year follow-up). If meniscal transplantation is performed in more severely damaged knees, along with other surgical procedures such as ligament reconstruction or articular cartilage transplantation, then the likely anticipated outcomes tend to be lower. However, this is very much salvage surgery, for patients with badly damaged knees and severe symptoms, who need something doing but who are too young for a knee replacement.
