Short-Term but Not Long-Term Knee Symptoms and Functional Improvements of Tissue Engineering Strategy for Meniscus Defects: A Systematic Review of Clinical Studies

Editorial Commentary: Tissue-Engineered Meniscal Scaffolds and Implants Show Promising Short-Term Outcomes While Long-Term Comparison With Meniscal Allograft Transplantation Is Pending

Because of the prevalence of meniscal injuries and the difficulty treating irreparable tears and large defects, there has been increasing research and resultant engineering strategies over the past 20 years that have resulted in development of various meniscal scaffolds and meniscal implants. At this time, meniscal allograft transplant may be the "standard" consideration for the nonarthritis, meniscal deficient, stable, and properly aligned painful knee, but challenges include availability, preoperative planning and sizing, costs, and logistics. Newer tissue-engineered implants can minimize these concerns, and recent systematic review shows these may provide short-term improvement in knee pain and function. However, studies demonstrating long-term improvements remain pending, and it is unclear whether these implants will result in outcomes better than meniscal allograft transplant.