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21:03
Published August 25, 2021

Medial Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty With a Fixed-Bearing Implant

Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty is an alternative to total knee arthroplasty in patients with isolated medial arthritis. Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty restores native tibial and femoral joint surfaces and corrects pre-disease limb alignment, which restores natural knee biomechanics, ensuring effective functional recovery. Proper patient selection and accurate surgical technique contribute to good functional outcomes and long-term implant survival. This video demonstrates key steps of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty and discusses multiple tips and tricks, including (1) preoperative assessment and planning; (2) patient positioning and setup; (3) exposure; (4) instrument options and surgical technique; (5) distal femoral resection; (6) proximal tibial resection; (7) assessment of alignment and gaps; (8) finishing the femur, including sizing, position, and posterior resection; (9) finishing the tibia, including sizing and position; (10) trialing the implant; (11) implanting final components, including cementing technique; (12) closure; and (13) postoperative rehabilitation. Following these surgical steps and principles will lead to excellent long-term functional outcomes with a low rate of revision and minimal complications.