Functional outcomes and patient satisfaction following UKA in comparison with TKA

Abstract

Osteoarthritis is one of the leading causes of disability and reduced quality of life. Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is considered the standard treatment for advanced knee osteoarthritis. Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) has been introduced as a less invasive alternative for isolated unicompartmental osteoarthritis, offering advantages such as lower blood loss, shorter hospital stay and better preservation of natural knee structures. This study aimed to compare functional outcomes and patient satisfaction following UKA and TKA. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 56 patients (61 knees) who underwent either TKA or UKA performed by a single surgeon. Range of motion, pain, functional outcomes, quality of life, and patient satisfaction were assessed using validated questionnaires and compared between the two groups. Results: Patients in the UKA group reported significantly less pain and better functional outcomes compared to those in the TKA group. While overall quality of life was higher in the UKA group, there was no significant difference in physical quality of life between the two groups. Patient satisfaction levels were also comparable. Major complications, including thromboembolism, infection, loosening, peri-prosthetic fracture and need for revision surgery were not statistically different between groups.