How to salvage the delivery of a wrong-sided meniscal allograft: A rare case series

Abstract

Introduction: Although rare, tissue processing errors have occurred during meniscal transplantation. The anatomic differences between the lateral and medial menisci makes this problematic for surgeons who find themselves with an incorrectly labeled graft.

Objective: To describe the management of a wrong-sided meniscal allograft transplant (MAT) and technical pearls when converting a lateral to a medial MAT.

Methods: Retrospective case series of two patients with a wrong-sided MAT.

Results: Both patients were found to have a properly sized left lateral MAT for a planned right medial MAT and the decision was made to proceed with surgery. Converting the bone tunnel to bone plugs and suturing the body to bone are key technical steps to replicate the biomechanics of the medial meniscus in these circumstances. Acceptable long-term outcomes were seen in the patient with available follow-up data.

Conclusion: The decision to proceed with surgery in these circumstances should be made on an individual basis considering graft, patient, and surgeon factors. Knowledge of the technique for converting a wrong-sided meniscal transplant may reduce waste of grafts and prevent patients from being exposed to additional anesthesia.