Partial Knee Replacements | Partially Successful?

🌐 More episodes and patient resources: https://thesurgeonunmasked.com One of the most common questions I get in the comments is: "What about a partial knee replacement?" The marketing sounds great: a smaller incision, a faster recovery, and a knee that "feels" more natural because you keep your ACL. But is the hype backed by the data? In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty (UKA). I share my honest—and perhaps controversial—opinion on why I stopped performing them after 22 years of practice. We’ll look at the technical challenges of mobile-bearing implants (like the Oxford knee), the "Lindsey Vonn" effect, and why converting a failed partial knee to a total knee is much more complicated than patients are often told. Most importantly, we stop relying on anecdotes and look at the "Gold Standard" of orthopedic data: The Australian Joint Replacement Registry. In this video, we cover: The Anatomy: What actually happens in a medial unicompartmental knee replacement. The Pros: Why patients (and surgeons) are attracted to the procedure. The Cons: Why I experienced a ~20% revision rate in my own practice. The Data: A deep dive into the Australian Registry showing a 3x higher revision rate for partials vs. totals at 15 years. The "Lindsey Vonn" Effect: Why high-level athlete success stories might not apply to you. The Robot Question: Can robotic assistance fix the failure rates? (The data might surprise you). Resources Mentioned: 🇦🇺 Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry: The data discussed in this video is public and free to access. It is considered one of the most robust orthopedic databases in the world. https://aoanjrr.sahmri.com/ Discussion: Have you had a partial knee replacement? Are you happy with it, or did you end up needing a revision? Let me know in the comments below. Medical Disclaimer: The content of this video is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have watched on this channel. #KneeReplacement #Orthopedics #PartialKnee #TotalKneeReplacement #TheSurgeonUnmasked #MedicalEducation #AustralianJointRegistry