Prospective evaluation of concurrent meniscus transplantation and articular cartilage repair: minimum 2-year follow-up.

Background: Recognition of the symbiotic relationship between the meniscus and articular cartilage is critical to the success of meniscal allograft transplantation. Simultaneous combined meniscal allograft transplantation and cartilage restoration procedures have been proposed for patients with a symptomatic postmeniscectomy knee with a focal chondral defect that would have traditionally been considered a contraindication to meniscal allograft transplantation.

Hypothesis: Combined meniscal allograft transplantation and cartilage restoration procedures can be used to neutralize traditional contraindications to meniscal allograft transplantation with results comparable to either procedure performed in isolation.