Preoperative Condition of the Patellofemoral Joint Does Not Negatively Impact Surgical Outcomes of Lateral Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty in the Short Term

The relationship between patellofemoral joint (PFJ) degeneration and clinical outcomes following lateral unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) has not been well described thus far. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the preoperative PFJ condition and postoperative outcomes and the changes in lower-limb and PFJ alignment after lateral UKA. This was a retrospective study including 54 patients (mean age 72.9 years) who underwent lateral UKA for isolated lateral knee osteoarthritis at our institution between March 2013 and January 2019. The Oxford Knee Score (OKS), the Knee Society Score-Knee (KSSK), and Knee Society Score-Function (KSSF), the degree of degeneration, tilting angle and lateral shift of the PFJ, and the hip-knee-ankle angle (HKA) were evaluated pre- and postoperatively. The average follow-up period was 2.8 (range 1-6.1) years. There was a significant improvement in the OKS, KSSK, and KSSF after lateral UKA. Preoperative degeneration of the PFJ did not correlate with the recovery of clinical scores. The degeneration, tilting angle, and lateral shift of the PFJ did not significantly progress following lateral UKA. The HKA was improved after lateral UKA, and there was no correlation between the HKA change and PFJ condition. Postoperative severe valgus knee alignment was associated with a greater tilting angle. Preoperative degeneration of the PFJ did not have a negative impact on postoperative outcomes, and no short-term changes in the degeneration, tilting angle, and lateral shift of the PFJ were observed. Correction of knee-joint alignment did not have a negative impact on the condition of the PFJ.