Graft extrusion in both the coronal and sagittal planes is greater after medial compared with lateral meniscus allograft transplantation but is unrelated to early clinical outcomes

Abstract

Background: Graft extrusion after meniscus allograft transplantation (MAT) may be affected by horn fixation, which differs between medial and lateral MAT. Few studies have compared graft extrusion, especially sagittal extrusion, after medial and lateral MAT. Hypothesis: In patients undergoing medial and lateral MAT, graft extrusion is likely similar and not correlated with postoperative Lysholm scores. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: Meniscus graft extrusion in the coronal and sagittal planes was compared in 51 knees undergoing medial MAT and 84 undergoing lateral MAT. Distances from the anterior and posterior articular cartilage margins to the anterior (anterior cartilage meniscus distance [ACMD]) and posterior (posterior cartilage meniscus distance [PCMD]) horns, respectively, were assessed on immediate postoperative magnetic resonance imaging and compared in patients undergoing medial and lateral MAT. Correlations between coronal and sagittal graft extrusion and between extrusion and the Lysholm score were compared in the 2 groups. Results: In the coronal plane, mean absolute (4.3 vs 2.7 mm, respectively; P<.001) and relative (39% vs 21%, respectively; P< .001) graft extrusions were significantly greater for medial than lateral MAT. In the sagittal plane, mean absolute and relative ACMD and PCMD values were significantly greater for medial than lateral MAT (P < .001 each). For both medial and lateral MAT, mean absolute and relative ACMDs were significantly larger than PCMDs (P<.001 each). Graft extrusion >3 mm in the coronal plane was significantly more frequent in the medial (78%) than in the lateral (35%) MAT group. In the sagittal plane, the frequencies of ACMDs (72% vs 39%, respectively) and PCMDs (23% vs 4%, respectively) >3 mm were also significantly greater in the medial than in the lateral MAT group. Coronal and sagittal extrusions were not correlated with postoperative Lysholm scores for both medial and lateral MAT. Conclusion: The amount and incidence of graft extrusion were greater after medial than lateral MAT in both the coronal and sagittal planes. In the sagittal plane, graft extrusion was greater and more frequent on the anterior than the posterior horn in both medial and lateral MAT. However, graft extrusion was not correlated with early clinical outcomes after both medial and lateral MAT. © 2014 The Author(s).