
Mashtaler Ortho&Trauma Clinic became the site of the first donor meniscus transplantation in the Western region of Ukraine. This is an important achievement, because such an operation was carried out only for the eighth time in Ukraine.
A patient who went to the clinic suffered a serious knee injury several years ago while skiing, which was not properly treated. His cruciate ligament was damaged and his meniscus was almost completely destroyed. As the functions of the meniscus were lost, the load on the joint increased and cartilage destruction began. The result is severe pain in the knee. It was possible to change the situation only with the help of a donor meniscus transplant.
The operation lasted about three hours and passed without complications. The arthroscopic control used during the operation allowed to minimize damage to the surrounding tissues. The donor meniscus for the patient was provided by the Ukrainian manufacturer of bioimplants Probones.
The patient has already begun recovery, and, according to doctors, the rehabilitation process is going well.
Most often, meniscus damage is associated with a significant knee injury. It can be a game of football or, like our patient, skiing. However, the rupture can occur without a pronounced injury - due to degenerative processes in the tissue of the meniscus. And with age, the meniscus only becomes more vulnerable to the risks of injury.
The more serious and earlier the rupture, the more extensive the surgical intervention will be - from suturing or partial resection to complete removal. In our case, the meniscus was almost completely destroyed, and the best way to restore the function of the knee is a transplant from a donor.
This treatment method is recommended for people under 55 years of age with significant, often irreversible, meniscus damage that causes permanent pain during exercise.
This step in orthopedics is not just a new method of treatment. This is a real chance for patients who before could only dream of being able to reduce the risk of developing arthrosis after injury and subsequent endoprosthetics. Replacing the damaged meniscus allows you to preserve the function of the knee joint, which is extremely important for people who lead an active lifestyle.