Prosthetic Replacement of the Medial Meniscus in Human Cadaver Kneesdoes the Prosthesis Mimic the Functional Behavior of the Native Meniscus?

Introduction Many studies have shown that early onset of degenerative arthritis of the knee is a common result of (partial) meniscectomy [1]. Studies in dogs showed that a meniscal prosthesis made of a biodegradable porous polymer can act as a temporary scaffold for the regenerating tissue and that degenerative changes of articular cartilage were less than seen after meniscectomy [2,3]. In our view, a well functioning meniscal prosthesis should mimic the movement and deformation pattern of the native meniscus. To compare the behavior of the prosthesis with that of the native meniscus in human cadaver knee joints, an in vitro model was developed according to Blankevoort et al.[4], in which subsequently the native meniscus and the prosthesis were evaluated within the same human cadaver knee joint. The purpose of this study was to evaluate (1) how the native meniscus moves and deforms during joint flexion to accommodate to the femoral and tibial surface and (2) if the meniscus prosthesis shows comparable movements and deformations in the knee joint during knee joint flexion.