Clinical Review
Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty: Past, Present, and Future
Am J Orthop. 2009 January;38(1):17-23
Author and Disclosure Information
Amir A. Jamali, MD, Richard D. Scott, MD, Harry E. Rubash, MD, and Andrew A. Freiberg, MD
Dr. Jamali is Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, California.
Dr. Scott is Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School, and Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital and New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
Dr. Rubash is Chief of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, and Edith M. Ashley Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Dr. Freiberg is Chief, Arthroplasty Service, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, and Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) has a more than 30-year history in the treatment of arthritis of one compartment of the tibiofemoral joint. Despite early negative reports, the procedure has evolved into a reliable and safe treatment. Successful outcomes with UKA require proper patient selection, meticulous surgical technique, and avoidance of deformity overcorrection. This procedure is indicated for patients with localized pain, preserved range of motion, and radiographically isolated tibiofemoral disease. UKA can provide more range of motion and improved patient satisfaction relative to total knee arthroplasty with comparable midterm longevity.