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Unicompartment total knee replacement: a 2--4 year review
Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research
|July 1, 1978
Summary
Unicompartment total knee replacement offers pain relief and deformity correction in most patients. While 19% showed X-ray loosening, it was linked to mild pain, suggesting it is a viable alternative to high tibial osteotomy.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Biomedical Engineering
- Knee Arthroplasty
Background:
- Unicompartment total knee replacement (UKR) is controversial due to reports of wear and loosening.
- Conflicting clinical outcomes necessitate further investigation into UKR efficacy and safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the clinical outcomes and radiographic findings of UKR.
- To assess pain levels, range of motion, deformity correction, and component loosening after UKR.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 21 patients undergoing UKR was retrospectively examined.
- Follow-up occurred 2-4 years post-operation, including clinical assessment and X-ray analysis.
Main Results:
- 81% of patients were pain-free; remaining patients reported only mild pain.
- 90 degrees or greater range of motion was achieved in all patients.
- 91% of preoperative deformities were corrected; 19% showed X-ray loosening associated with mild pain.
Conclusions:
- UKR is an acceptable alternative to high tibial osteotomy for select patients.
- UKR effectively relieves pain and corrects deformity in the majority of cases.
- Component loosening, though present in some cases, did not lead to disabling pain.