Eight to 12-year follow-up evaluation with survivorship analysis.
Richard D Scott MD, Andrew G Cobb MB,BS,FRCS, Frederick G McQueary MD, Thomas S Thornhill MD

Abstract — From Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts One hundred consecutive unicondylar knee arthroplasties [partial knee resurfacing] were reviewed after eight to 12 years of follow-up evaluation. Survivorship analysis revealed 90% survivorship of the prostheses at nine years, 85% at ten years, and 82% at 11 years. Sixty-four knees in 5l patients were studied clinically and roentgenographically at final follow-up study. Of these, 87% had no significant pain. The average knee flexion was 115 degrees. Anatomic knee alignment averaged 3 degrees of valgus for the knees with preoperative varus alignment and 8 degrees of valgus for knees with preoperative valgus alignment. Fifteen percent of these elderly patients (mean age, 80 years) used a cane outdoors, but only 8% because of their knee. Sixty percent had radiolucent lines at the tibial bone-cement interface, and these lines were incomplete in 96% of cases.
 
Clinical Orthopedics and Related Research, no 271, October 1991