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Some athletes take years to come back from meniscal allograft transplantation

By Jordana Bieze Foster

Meniscal allograft transplantation can help high-level athletes return to sports—but it might take a while, according to research from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago presented in March at the AAOS meeting.

Investigators retrospectively analyzed 14 athletes who had undergone the procedure. Three were high school athletes, nine were college athletes, and one was a professional baseball player.

Two years after surgery, 62% of the athletes had attempted to return to sports, but none had returned to their preinjury level. All had pain and swelling during sports, and 54% had pain and swelling during activities of daily living.

Thirteen athletes were available for a final follow up an average of 3.3 years postsurgery. At that time, 77% had returned to play, and 70% were playing at what they said was their desired level.

“We originally aimed for a four-month return to sports, but found that it really took a lot longer,” said Peter N. Chalmers, MD, a resident in the department of orthopedic surgery at Rush, who presented his group’s findings at the AAOS meeting.

Source:

Chalmers PN, Karas V, Sherman S, Cole BJ. Return to high-level sport following meniscal allograft transplantation. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Chicago, March 2013.

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