Partial “Unicompartmental” Knee Replacement (UKA)

Understanding Partial Knee Replacement

Knee replacement surgery is a procedure designed to alleviate the pain from severely arthritic conditions of the knee.

The knee is composed of three compartments, the inner or “medial” compartment, the outer or “lateral” compartment, and the knee cap or “patellofemoral” compartment. A “partial” knee replacement is simply resurfacing of one of the three compartments rather than all of them at the same time. In some patients, only one compartment has been affected by arthritis. In these situations, the affected compartment can be resurfaced leaving the other compartments alone. Partial knee replacement is also called “Unicompartmental” replacement (UKA).

A Leading Treatment

MAKOplasty® Robotic-Assisted Surgery is a leading minimally invasive partial knee replacement procedure. By selectively targeting the portion of the knee that has been damaged by osteoarthritis, MAKOplasty® can resurface the damaged area without compromising the healthy bone and tissue surrounding it. Positive outcomes include a smaller incision and a faster, less painful recovery than traditional joint replacement surgery. As a knee arthroplasty procedure, MAKOplasty® is typically covered by most Medicare-approved and private health insurers.