Trends in Meniscal Allograft Transplantation in the United States, 2007 to 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence of meniscal allograft transplantation (MAT) in the United States from 2007 to 2011 and to analyze trends in MAT using a large database of privately insured non-Medicare patients.MethodsPatients who underwent MAT (Current Procedural Terminology [CPT] code 29868) from 2007 to 2011 were identified using the PearlDiver Private Payer Database. Demographic and use data available in the database were extracted for patients who underwent MAT. Statistical analysis involved Student t tests, χ-square tests, and linear regression analyses, with statistical significance set at P < .05.ResultsThe PearlDiver database allowed analysis of approximately 25.4 million patients per year during the years 2007 to 2011 (approximately 9% of the US population younger than 65 years). From 2007 to 2011, there were a total of 302 MAT procedures, for an incidence of 0.24 MAT procedures per year per 100,000 patients. There was no statistically significant increase in MAT procedures over time (P = .36). There was a higher incidence of MAT in male patients (0.26) than in female patients (0.19) (P = .001). There was a higher incidence of MAT in patients aged 25 to 34 years (0.40) and in those younger than 25 years (0.30) compared with older patients (P < .001), with 9.7% of MAT procedures being performed in patients younger than age 35 years.ConclusionsMAT was an uncommon procedure, with no change in its incidence from 2007 to 2011. MAT procedures were performed more commonly in patients younger than 35 years and in male patients.Level of EvidenceLevel IV, descriptive epidemiology study.