Bone Health

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

Severe degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the knee results in pain, limited function, and a poorer quality of life. Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a safe and effective treatment of severe DJD of the knee. Patient satisfaction rates after TKA range from 90% to 95%.[1,2] The high satisfaction rate is dependent on the following factors: patient selection; implant design; surgical technique; and postoperative rehabilitation and compliance. However, TKA can fail, requiring that the patient undergo revision surgery. Annually, 35,000 TKAs are revised worldwide.[3] The published literature finds the following as the causes for failure of TKA: Infection; Loosening; Instability; Patellofemoral complications; Prosthesis fracture; and Polyethylene wear.[4-6] At The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons 69th Annual Meeting, held in Dallas, Texas in February 2002, Dr. Peter F. Sharkey, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and his colleagues[3] presented data describing the mechanisms of failure in a series of revision TKAs performed between September 1997 and October 2000. These investigators conducted a retrospective review of 212 consecutive TKAs in 203 patients who underwent total knee revision at the Rothman Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.