Medial Osteoarthritis in an ACL-Deficient Knee: A Critical Analysis Review

In anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-deficient knees, treatment of medial compartment osteoarthritis (OA) that is refractory to nonoperative modalities is a controversial subject.

Currently available treatment options include unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) with or without ACL reconstruction (ACLR), high tibial osteotomy (HTO) with or without ACLR, and total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Each treatment option has its own risks and benefits, and the evidence that is reviewed in this article suggests that patient characteristics guide treatment selection.

Future high-quality prospective studies that directly compare all 3 of the modalities are necessary to determine the best treatment option for different patient populations.