Return to Sport After Meniscus Operations: Meniscectomy, Repair, and Transplantation

Abstract

This chapter summarizes data in the current literature regarding return to sport (RTS) after meniscus surgery from 58 studies encompassing 2755 patients. There were 755 patients in 15 studies that underwent meniscectomy, 948 patients in 25 studies that had meniscus repair, and 1052 patients in 18 studies that underwent meniscus transplantation. Rates for return to preinjury sport, return to any type of sport, failures (meniscus repairs and transplants), and progression of knee osteoarthritis are provided. An analysis of the postoperative rehabilitation criteria for RTS described by each study is presented. Although high RTS rates were noted in a few meniscectomy studies in this chapter, these were offset by deterioration in radiographic knee osteoarthritis in 60-90% of patients followed >6 years postoperatively. A recommendation is made to preserve meniscus tissue and function through modern repair procedures whenever possible, especially in children and adolescent athletes. While sports are feasible after meniscus transplantation, the majority of studies recommend return to only low-impact or general athletic training due to pre-existing articular cartilage damage.