Painful Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty: Etiology, Diagnosis and Management

Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) is an increasingly common procedure. Patients with persistent or new postoperative pain can present a challenge for surgeons to accurately diagnose and treat. The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive review of the presentation, diagnosis, and management of the various pathologies contributing to pain after UKA. The most common causes of a painful UKA include aseptic component loosening and progression of osteoarthritis. Both of these conditions may be treated with either revision UKA or conversion to total knee arthroplasty. While technically challenging, these procedures are often associated with favorable outcomes. Other causes of pain after UKA include infection, atraumatic tibial component subsidence, periprosthetic fracture and malalignment. Careful clinical, radiographic, and laboratory evaluation is therefore critical to accurately identify the source of pain and guide appropriate management.