As per recent study results, an artificial medial meniscus implant developed to mimic native meniscus to offer long-term pain relief, and restore joint function in osteoarthritis (OA) patients found to be effective with least complications.

Due to meniscectomy, the ongoing articular cartilage overload could lead to progressive OA. Thus, an effective approach is required to decrease the load across the lateral knee compartment. This study was conducted to assess the role of an artificial medial meniscus implant on the function of the lateral knee compartment. The researchers also assessed the alterations in load distribution between the two compartments under static axial loading by advanced piezo-resistive sensors.

On 72 mild OA patients, an integrated in situ/in vivo approach was used to measure the contact pressure of cadaveric knees with MRI joint space measurements. Mechanical consequences in both the medial, i.e., treated and lateral knee compartments of two levels of meniscectomy and implantation of an artificial meniscus implant were evaluated. It was observed that contact pressure was increased and the contact area was decreased after partial and sub-total meniscectomy. Artificial meniscus implant restored the average contact pressure to 93 ± 14% of its pre-meniscectomy, intact value.

Moreover, neither meniscectomy nor artificial meniscus implant affected the lateral compartment of the knee. The actual clinical findings were in accordance with the MRI data from the patients.