What are the Success Rates and the Problems?
Success rates are highest in the youngest patients with the healthiest joints of course. However, pain can also be diminished and function improved in older patients with arthritis. Our survival data for our first 47 patients with severe arthritis in a 2-7 year follow up study was 89% with improvement in both pain and function. The most common problem has been partial re-tearing of the transplanted meniscus which has required surgical suturing (repair), and rarely, complete replacement. Rejection of the meniscus has not been seen in our patients and only reported worldwide in a few cases.
