Partial Knee Arthroplasty: The State of the Art

Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty and patellofemoral arthroplasty were pioneered in the 1970s but abandoned by most in favor of total knee arthroplasty because of inconsistent early outcomes. Advancements in implant design, instrumentation, indications, and surgical techniques have enhanced results and led to a resurgence in both unicompartmental knee arthroplasty and patellofemoral arthroplasty for appropriate candidates. In appropriately selected patients, current implants and techniques provide surgeons the resources to carry out a surgical procedure that is simpler to perform and easier to recover from. Furthermore, unicompartmental knee arthroplasty is associated with fewer postoperative complications and lower mortality and is equal to or better than total knee arthroplasty.