[Partial knee arthroplasty: development, current status and future perspectives]

Severe knee joint diseases, such as advanced knee osteoarthritis, often require total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for treatment. However, knee osteoarthritis typically affects only one or two compartments of the knee joint, and TKA inevitably involves the resection and reconstruction of healthy joint compartments. Partial knee arthroplasty (PKA) was developed as a targeted alternative, and after decades of advancement, it has become increasingly refined, demonstrating unique advantages in treating unicompartmental and/or bicompartmental knee joint diseases. This paper focuses on the development and current status of PKA, including unicondylar knee arthroplasty, patellofemoral arthroplasty, and bicompartmental knee arthroplasty. It summarizes patient selection criteria, clinical outcomes, and proposes future directions for further advancements.