BMJ Open 2018;8:e020977. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2017-020977
- This study examines the heath outcomes and lifetime costs (including revision) of unicompartmental knee replacement (UKR) compared to total knee replacement (TKR).
- Analysis concludes that patients undergoing revision following UKR had better quality of life prior to and following revision than those who had TKR. For all subgroups, the hospital costs of primary and revision surgery were lower for UKR than TKR. The authors highlight a greater uncertainty for younger patients.
- While about half of patients who need knee replacement could be suitable for a partial replacement, but only 9% of the 98,147 knee replacements undertaken in 2016 were partial replacements.
- To achieve the best results, surgeons need to perform a sufficient proportion of knee replacements as UKR.
