Meniscal Implant Biomechanical Performance: A Novel Quantitative Approach

One of the functions of the meniscus is to distribute contact forces over the articular surfaces by increasing joint contact areas [1]. It is widely accepted that total/partial loss of the meniscus increases the risk of joint degeneration. A short-term method for evaluating whether degenerative arthritis can be prevented would be to determine if peak pressure and contact area coverage of the tibialis plateau (TP) articular surface in the knee are restored at the time of implantation. Although several published studies already utilized TP contact pressure measurements as an indicator for biomechanical performance of allograft menisci [2,3], there is a paucity of a quantitative method for evaluation of these parameters in situ with a single effective parameter. In the present study, we developed such a method and employed it on sheep and human cadaveric knees.