Background
In the early 1950s, Duncan C. McKeever theorized that osteoarthritis could be isolated to only one compartment of the knee joint, and that replacement of the entire knee might not be necessary if only one knee compartment was affected. The UKA concept was designed to cause less trauma or damage than traditional total knee replacement by removing less bone and trying to maintain most of the patient’s bone and anatomy. Also, the concept was designed to use smaller implants and thereby keep most of the patient’s bone; this can help patients return to normal function faster.
Initially, UKAs were not always successful, because the implants were poorly designed, patients weren't thoroughly screened for suitability, and optimal surgical techniques were not developed. Recent advancements have been made to improve the design of the implants. Also, choosing the best-suited patients was emphasized to ensure that surgeons followed the indications and contraindications for partial replacement. Proper patient selection, following the indications/contraindications, and performing the surgery well are key factors for the success of UKA.
Currently, UKA is often referred to as "partial knee replacement." In reality there is nothing "partial" about this replacement. It is a complete replacement of the "part" of the knee that is arthritic. Patients who have arthritis restricted to only one part of the knee and have no reason to not have this surgery ("contraindications" is the medical term for a reason not to have a particular procedure) could consider this option.
Read more about this topic: Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty
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