On 8 October 2026, Isokinetic’s Scientific Director, Dr Francesco Della Villa, took part in an invitation-only Consensus Meeting in Porto, Portugal, on joint preservation and the management of meniscal and cartilage injuries. The meeting took place alongside the 8th ICRS Summit, organised by the International Cartilage Regeneration & Joint Preservation Society.
Why meniscus preservation matters
The central theme is meniscus preservation: reducing meniscectomies, meaning partial or total removal of the meniscus, wherever the tissue can be kept. Removing more tissue than necessary is linked to a higher risk of early osteoarthritis. For this reason, the trend is towards conservative or repair techniques, chosen case by case according to the type of injury and the quality of the tissue.
Topics discussed
- Meniscus preservation: conservative or repair techniques in place of removal, where the injury allows.
- Regenerative medicine: biomaterials and biological approaches still under study to support tissue healing. These are active research areas, not standard treatments, and clinical results are still being evaluated.
- Transplants and substitutes: protocols for donor meniscus transplantation or synthetic substitutes in patients who have had part or all of the meniscus removed.
- Rehabilitation: post-operative pathways to be personalised according to the type of injury and the quality of the tissue, with reference to the international consensus documents from ESSKA and AOSSM.
The Isokinetic contribution
Dr Della Villa presented “Meniscus: The Challenging Management in Athletes”. The talk covered meniscus management in sport, where the choice between preserving the meniscus and intervening directly affects the return to activity.
Isokinetic has worked in sports medicine and rehabilitation since 1987 and specialises in sports injuries and meniscal conditions.
