Low Rates of 30-Day Postoperative Complications After Meniscal Allograft Transplantation: A Retrospective Study Using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Database

Abstract

Purpose

To determine the short-term (30-day) postoperative complication rates in patients undergoing meniscus allograft transplantation (MAT).

Methods

The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried for patients who had undergone MAT from 2014 to 2021 using Current Procedural Terminology codes. Patients were excluded if they did not have sufficient demographic data, namely those without data for age, sex, body mass index, preoperative functional status, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, operative time, and length of hospital stay. Postoperative complications within 30 days were identified, and rates of complications were examined as the primary outcome of this study. As a secondary outcome, multivariate logistic regression was used to identify risk factors associated with the 30-day incidence of postoperative complications. Subgroup analysis was performed to analyze differences in postoperative outcomes after isolated MAT versus MAT with concomitant ligament reconstruction/repair, cartilage preservation, or realignment osteotomy.

Results

A total of 396 meniscal transplants were identified, with mean age of 35.2 ± 14.9, mean body mass index of 29.6 ± 6.7, mean length of stay of 0.5 ± 1.8 days. Eleven patients experienced any adverse event. Specific complications included surgical-site infections (5), deep-vein thrombosis (1), urinary tract infection (3), and return to the operating room (2). On subgroup analysis, there was no significant difference between any adverse event rates in patients undergoing MAT with concomitant procedures compared with patients undergoing isolated MAT (7 vs 4, P = .5).

Conclusions

Patients who underwent MAT had an overall complication rate of 2.8% in the short-term postoperative period (≤30 days). Patients undergoing MAT with concomitant ligament reconstruction/repair, cartilage preservation, and realignment osteotomy had similar rates of all postoperative complications when compared with patients undergoing isolated MAT.

Level of Evidence

Level IV, therapeutic case series.