Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty eMedicine Orthopedics

Description: Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty has had varying degrees of acceptance since its introduction approximately 30 years ago. Frequent and early failures were cited in initial studies. By the late 1990s, however, unicompartmental knee arthroplasty for the treatment of localized knee arthritis was becoming more common, and early outcome reports were favorable. Theoretical advantages of the procedure include preservation of uninvolved tissue and bone, reduced operative time, better range of motion, improved gait, and increased patient satisfaction. With appropriate patient selection, careful surgical technique, and proper implant design, unicompartmental knee arthroplasty can now be viewed as a procedure with reliable medium- to long-term success.
Synonyms and related keywords: unicompartmental knee replacement, unicondylar knee arthroplasty, uni-knee, uniknee, knee arthritis, total knee arthroplasty, high tibial osteotomy, medial osteoarthritis
Kort & Romanowski 2007