10-year survivorship of metal-backed, unicompartmental arthroplasty

Between January 1985 and December 1987, 100 consecutive metal-backed, unicompartmental arthroplasties (MBUKAs) were performed and retrospectively reviewed; 5 patients died, and the surviving 95 patients were reviewed. Of these arthroplasties, 10 were uncemented and 85 were cemented. There were 2 failures in the uncemented arthroplasties and 10 failures in those that were cemented, resulting in an 87.4% survivorship at a mean follow-up of 10 years. After 5 years, 10 of these cases were revised because of progressive lateral compartment disease and lateral compartment pain. Despite improved function compared with tricompartmental arthroplasty, MBUKA is beneficial only in highly selective cases. In this series, after 5 years, survivorship declined because of progression of arthrosis in the nonreplaced compartment.