Abstract
Long term clinical data and patient satisfaction is reported on 152 patients implanted with the UniSpacer interpositional spacer during the first four years of clinical use with a minimum 5-year, maximum 9-year follow-up. 156 UniSpacer™ Knee System implants were implanted in 152 patients (4 bilateral), for treatment of isolated medial compartment osteoarthritis over a 4-year period. The minimum follow-up for this group of patients is 5 years with a range of 60 to 108 months. Revisions to a TKR within one year of the implantation date during the first and second year of UniSpacer implantations were 6% and 5% respectively. By years three and four, the TKR revision rate within the first year had dropped to 0% (zero). The data reflects the improvement in surgical technique and the development of proper patient selection criteria. The long term data provides validation that the UniSpacerÔ can provide a successful, long term, bone preserving, treatment alternative to the current HTO, UKR or TKR procedures.
Correspondence should be addressed to Diane Przepiorski at ISTA, PO Box 6564, Auburn, CA 95604, USA. Phone: +1 916-454-9884; Fax: +1 916-454-9882; E-mail: ista@pacbell.net
