The Influence of Preoperative Radiographic Patellofemoral Degenerative Changes and Malalignment on Patellofemoral-Specific Outcome Scores Following Fixed-Bearing Medial Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty

Background: There is controversy as to whether the presence of degenerative changes and malalignment of the patellofemoral joint is a contraindication to medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the influence of preoperative radiographic patellofemoral joint osteoarthritis and alignment on intermediate-term knee and patellofemoral joint-specific patient-reported outcomes following fixed-bearing medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of the records on a consecutive series of patients who had undergone robotic arm-assisted fixed-bearing onlay medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty and had a minimum duration of follow-up of 2 years. All records were collected from a single surgeon's arthroplasty registry. Patients with severe bone loss or grooving of the lateral patellar facet were excluded. Radiographic assessment was performed with use of the Kellgren-Lawrence and Altman classification systems as well as with patellofemoral joint alignment measurements. The latest follow-up consisted of a patient-reported questionnaire, including the Kujala (Anterior Knee Pain Scale) score, the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), Junior (JR), and satisfaction levels. Results: A total of 536 patients (639 knees) were included. After a mean duration of follow-up (and standard deviation) of 4.3 +/- 1.6 years (range, 2.0 to 9.2 years), good-to-excellent Kujala scores were reported independent of the presence of patellofemoral joint osteoarthritis preoperatively (Kellgren-Lawrence grade 0 compared with >= 1, p = 0.82; grade <= 1 compared with >= 2, p = 0.84). Similar findings were found when osteoarthritis was present in either the medial or lateral side of the patellofemoral joint as defined by an Altman score of >= 2 (medial, p = 0.81; lateral, p = 0.90). KOOS scores and satisfaction also were not affected by degenerative patellofemoral joint changes. Furthermore, neither the patellar tilt angle nor the congruence angle influenced patient-reported outcomes. Conclusions: Preoperative radiographic mild to moderate patellofemoral joint degeneration (Kellgren-Lawrence grades 1 through 3) and/or malalignment did not compromise intermediate-term knee and patellofemoral joint-specific patient-reported outcomes in patients managed with fixed-bearing medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty. On the basis of the results of the present study, we believe that neither mild to moderate patellofemoral degeneration nor abnormal patellar tilt or congruence should be considered a contraindication to fixed-bearing medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty.