Scaffolds May be Effective Meniscectomy Pain Reliever

Meniscal scaffolds may effectively treat pain after meniscectomies because they support cellular and vascular ingrowth as well as enable physiologic replacement of lost tissue, research shows.

The scaffolds are not approved for use in the United States, but researchers are preparing to study treatment on the medial side of the knee in a phased pivotal clinical trial that is scheduled to begin in the next six months. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved trial will occur in 10 to 12 centers, comparing meniscal scaffold and partial meniscectomy for patients with post-meniscectomy pain.

“Studies have shown an improvement in pain and function,” said Peter R. Kurzweil, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon in Long Beach, Calif., specializing in knee and shoulder procedures. “Early results are promising in the prevention of osteoarthritic degeneration.”

Meniscal scaffolds, which have been successfully used in Europe for the last decade, do not provide mature tissue immediately, Kurzweil said. Indications for the use of meniscal scaffolds include patients with symptomatic knees after meniscectomy, stable rims with intact anterior and posterior horns, meniscal defects larger than 25 mm, an International Cartilage Research Society score less than three points, and patients younger than 50 years old.