Rare Meniscus Transplant Gives Chicago Bulls’ Lonzo Ball, Others Hope
A New Lease on Life for Ball and Others
When Chicago Bull Lonzo Ball returned to the court nearly three years after his last game, 6’8" suburban dad and former power forward Travis Meeks couldn’t help but look back on his own basketball career.
"Having basketball taken from me and then my career post basketball, it was heartbreaking at the time," he said. "I saw the route he was taking, ‘Oh, cadaver meniscus. Oh, they are regrowing cartilage.’ He’s doing everything, almost everything, I went through."
Meeks played on scholarship for Olivet Nazarene University in suburban Chicago, but unbearable knee pain drove him away from the sport he loves.
"When they went in, they found cartilage particles floating in the fluid in the knee," he said.
And there was another major defect.
"So then I went and asked the doctor immediately, ‘Am I going to be able to play basketball again?’ He said, ‘No, the meniscus is essentially gone.’"
A Second Chance at a Meniscus Transplant
Most specialists told Meeks they couldn’t help him, but not Endeavor Health orthopedic surgeon Dr. Jason Koh.
"It’s not a very common procedure," Koh said.
"When I talked to him, he gave me hope, we have options here," Meeks said.
The option for the then college senior in 2007 was a meniscus transplant, like Ball’s. The Bulls point guard underwent the same rare procedure in early 2023.
What is a Meniscus Transplant?
The meniscus is a rubbery cushion between the end of the thigh bone and top of the shin bone. The padding acts as a shock absorber in the knee. In some athletes, Ball and Meeks included, a previous tear causes the cushion to deteriorate quickly. Once it’s gone, Koh said there’s an issue.
"If you lose the shock absorber, for example if it’s torn, now the forces are going straight through," he said.
A Combination Procedure
Koh’s encouragement was life-changing. And so was the combination procedure he had at age 22. First, the orthopedic surgeon added new osteochondral cartilage along the bones of the knee so the surfaces would slide smoothly. Then, he placed cadaver meniscus in the joint spaces. It takes significant time for the donated tissue to repopulate with the patient’s own cells and heal.
"My senior year, I was on crutches for nine months," he said.
"A meniscus transplant is a pretty big procedure," Koh said. "You have to actually cut open the knee. This is not something you do arthroscopically. And recovery takes a while."
A Long and Arduous Road to Recovery
That explains Ball’s long absence.
"I had a goal to get back on the court, and I knew it was a long journey, a long process," he said. "But it all paid off because this is what I was looking forward to."
Inspiring Others to Persevere
Meeks put in the same hard work, not to play professionally, but to have moments with his four kids on the court and to be fit enough for his dream profession — police officer.
"It does develop character, and if you are able to persevere through those tests, those trials, on the back end, it’s very surreal and it makes me appreciate where I am now, more than I would have if I didn’t go through all that," he said. "I tell you what, I’m rooting for (Ball) because I know what he’s been through."
What’s Next for Ball and Others with Meniscus Injuries
Koh says even when the repaired knee heals, there is a high chance that over the next five to 10 years patients may develop tears in the new meniscus.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is a meniscus transplant?
A: A meniscus transplant is a surgical procedure that replaces the damaged meniscus in the knee with new tissue.
Q: How common is a meniscus transplant?
A: It’s a rare procedure, but one that can offer new hope for athletes like Ball and Meeks.
Q: How long does the recovery process take?
A: The recovery process can take several months to a year, depending on the individual and the complexity of the procedure.
