Outcomes and complications of unicondylar arthroplasty

Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty has experienced resurgence in popularity because of the lower morbidity of the procedure and the proposed benefits over total knee replacement in appropriately selected patients. Improved component designs and advanced surgical techniques have promoted excellent results. Expanded indications to include the very young and the elderly have yielded comparable clinical outcomes. Nonetheless, the success of unicompartmental replacement depends on proper surgical technique and patient selection. Distinct surgical considerations exist depending on whether the medial, lateral, or patellofemoral compartment is replaced. Long-term studies have shown that unicompartmental knee replacement is an alternative to total knee arthroplasty.