The Meniscal Transplant surgery or Optimised Rehabilitation full randomised trial (MeTeOR2)

MeTeOR2 is a randomised controlled trial comparing meniscal allograft transplant surgery to personalised knee therapy in people with pain and/or functional limitations post partial meniscectomy. The study aims to identify if one treatment is superior to another for pain and self-report functioning.

If you are interested in the study and consent to participate, you will have a 50% chance of being randomised into one of the two groups. The first group will receive a meniscal allograft transplant surgery. This surgery involves the implantation of a meniscus which has been procured from a deceased person into a meniscal deficient knee. The second group will receive personalised knee therapy. This will involve an assessment of your knee and functioning, and the prescription of a treatment plan tailored to your needs based on this assessment.

Participants in both groups will be asked to complete a series of questionnaires at baseline and 3-, 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-months following randomisation. The primary outcome will be collected at 24-months after randomisation. 

You may be eligible to participate in this study if you:

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Pain and / or functional limitation from the knee, severe enough to warrant potential meniscal allograft transplant.
2. Previous meniscectomy ≥ six months ago.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Symptomatic ligament instability, not previously corrected, as determined by the assessing clinician.
2. Coronal limb alignment which requires surgical correction, as determined by the assessing clinician.
3. Age < 16, or if ≥ 16, open growth plate at the proximal tibia as judged by the clinical team on imaging as part of standard care.
4. Full thickness cartilage loss (exposed bone) > 1 cm2, on routine clinical MRI, prior to surgery, or any other form of clinical imaging or evaluation.
5. Inflammatory arthritis affecting the study knee as determined by the assessing clinician.
6. Unable or unwilling to engage with rehabilitation.
7. Unable to adhere to trial processes.
8. Previous randomisation in the present trial, (i.e., the other knee).

If you are interested in assisting with this important and exciting area of research, please contact the study facilitator: meteor2.study@sydney.edu.au