Abstract
Purpose
To identify if the age of the patient was related to satisfaction rates 1 year following unicompartmental knee replacement, in a generalist setting in the U.K.
Methods & Results
Unicompartmental knee replacement (UKR) is a treatment option for patients presenting with isolated medial compartmental osteoarthritis. In many cases, such patients are aged 65 years or younger. The Trent Arthroplasty Register was established in 1990 collecting prospective data on knee arthroplasties performed in this region of the U.K. Self completed questionnaires were sent to 1081 patients who had had a unicompartmental knee arthroplasty 1 year post surgery.
Completed questionnaires were received from 648 patients (60% return rate). Of these patients, 80.2% (451) reported being satisfied, 6.6% (37) unsure of their satisfaction and 13.2% (74) dissatisfied. 78% of those in the 55 or under group (n=92) were satisfied relative to 77.6% in 56-65 yr group (n=264), 90.6% for 66-75 yrs (n=202) and 87.6% for 75+ yrs (73).
Increasing age appears to correlate with increased satisfaction rates. Of those who were dissatisfied, severe pain was the primary reason given as a cause for dissatisfaction. In comparison, patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA), who were sent identical questionnaires, demonstrated no difference in satisfaction rates in each of the different age groups. The overall satisfaction rate in such patients was 90%.
Conclusion
Patients having a UKR appear to have similar satisfaction rates to patients undergoing TKA, but only in the older age group (age 66 years or older). In the younger patient (age 65 years or less), dissatisfaction rates remain a significant issue and the management of such patients continues to pose a challenging problem
