✦ Advanced Joint Preservation

Meniscus Transplantation

Q: Who is an appropriate candidate for meniscal transplantation?

Candidates are typically under 50, have had a significant meniscal resection, have localised compartmental pain, intact or near-normal cartilage, a stable and well-aligned knee, and are prepared to comply with the extensive post-operative rehabilitation protocol.

Q: How is the donor meniscus obtained and is it safe?

Donor menisci come from certified tissue banks with rigorous screening protocols for infectious disease and tissue viability. Size matching uses MRI measurements. The procedure has an excellent safety record when appropriately sourced allografts are used.

Q: How long can a transplanted meniscus be expected to function?

Well-selected patients show meaningful symptom relief and joint protection for 10 or more years after transplantation. The best results are achieved when the cartilage surfaces are still in good condition and the knee is stable at the time of surgery.

Q: What does recovery from meniscal transplantation involve?

Six weeks of non-weight-bearing on crutches is required to allow graft integration. Thereafter, progressive rehabilitation restores movement, strength, and function. Return to sport and unrestricted activity typically takes 6–9 months post-surgery.

A precisely size-matched donor meniscus is transplanted into the knee to restore shock absorption and load distribution — protecting the cartilage surface and delaying arthritic progression in meniscus-deficient patients.

75–120 min PROCEDURE

1–2 Days HOSPITAL STAY

>80% SUCCESS RATE

6–9 Months FULL RECOVERY

What is Meniscus Transplantation?

Meniscal allograft transplantation (MAT) places a size-matched donor meniscus — sourced from a certified tissue bank — into a knee that has lost significant meniscal tissue through previous surgery or injury. Without an intact meniscus, the cartilage beneath absorbs abnormally high contact pressures, accelerating wear and increasing the risk of arthritis. The transplanted meniscus restores the biomechanical environment of the joint, reduces pain, and provides meaningful protection for the cartilage surface. Dr. Sai Kishan performs meniscal transplantation at Lux Hospitals for carefully evaluated young, active patients where the cartilage is still viable and the joint is mechanically sound.

Suitable for younger active patients under 50 with significant meniscal loss, persistent compartmental pain, well-preserved cartilage surfaces, a mechanically stable and appropriately aligned knee — and where accurate size-matching of the donor meniscus to the recipient's tibial plateau has been confirmed.

How the Procedure Works

Donor Graft Size Matching

MRI and plain radiograph measurements confirm the dimensions of the tibial plateau; a tissue bank allograft is selected to match within 5% of the recipient.

Anaesthesia & Joint Assessment

Spinal or general anaesthesia; arthroscopy confirms the cartilage status and any concurrent pathology before proceeding with transplantation.

Recipient Site Preparation

Meniscal remnants are trimmed; bone slots or tunnels are created in the tibial plateau at the anterior and posterior root attachment sites.

Allograft Insertion & Root Fixation

The donor meniscus is introduced and the horn attachments are secured in the bone tunnels using suture or bone plug techniques.

Peripheral Repair & Closure

The outer rim of the allograft is sutured to the capsule around its circumference; portals are closed and six weeks of non-weight-bearing begins.

Outcomes

75–120 minDURATION

1–2 DaysHOSPITAL STAY

>80%SUCCESS RATE

6–9 MonthsRETURN TO SPORT

Who Needs This Treatment?

→Restores the load-distributing and shock-absorbing function of the meniscus
→Reduces abnormally elevated cartilage contact pressures in the affected compartment
→Meaningfully slows the arthritis that follows significant meniscal loss
→Provides reliable pain relief and improved function in carefully selected patients
→Arthroscopically assisted technique with minimally invasive graft delivery
→Extends time before joint replacement becomes necessary in young patients

Meniscal transplantation is not for every patient — but for the right candidate, it genuinely changes the trajectory of the knee. A young person living with compartment pain after meniscectomy deserves this conversation.

— — Dr. Sai Kishan Sirasala, Knee and Hip Joint Replacement & Robotic Surgery

Common Questions

Frequently Asked

Who is an appropriate candidate for meniscal transplantation?+

How is the donor meniscus obtained and is it safe?+

How long can a transplanted meniscus be expected to function?+

What does recovery from meniscal transplantation involve?+

Not sure which treatment is right for you?

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