The role of biological augmentation in meniscal repair

Cellular effect on meniscal healing Mauck and Burdick performed a review of the basic science of meniscal healing, and factors that affect it. They point out that over the age of 40, patients have far fewer meniscal fibrochondrocytes at the tear interface and are therefore less able to up-regulate production of matrix proteins and enzymes in a healing response. They discuss studies that suggest this cellular factor is more important than vascularity. In-vitro studies comparing healing responses in completely vascularized foetal menisci are comparable to poorly vascularized juvenile menisci, and far superior to similarly vascularized but poorly populated adult menisci[3].