ARE PATELLO-FEMORAL PROBLEMS A CONTRA-INDICATION TO UNICOMPARTMENTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY?
H Pandit; D Hollinghurst; D Beard; C Jenkins; CAF Dodd; and DW Murray Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, Oxford. Introduction: The indications for medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) remain controversial; in particular, those relating to the state of the patello-femoral joint (PFJ). Some authorities consider the presence of anterior knee pain (AKP) and/or full thickness cartilage loss (FTCL) to be a contraindication. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of patello-femoral problems on the outcome of medial UKA. Materials and Methods: This prospective study involved one hundred knees with cemented medial Oxford UKA (phase 3), via a minimally invasive approach. Pre-operatively presence or absence of AKP was noted. The cartilage status of medial and lateral patello-femoral joint was grade and recorded intra-operatively. Outcome was evaluated at one-year with the Knee Society Score and the Oxford Knee Score (OKS). Results: 54% of patients had pre-operative AKP. The cli
