Management of Unicompartmental Arthritis in the Anterior Cruciate Ligament-Deficient Knee

There exists a group of patients who are difficult to manage because they have both anterior knee instability secondary to anterior cruciate ligament deficiency and unilateral degenerative joint disease. A large majority of these patients report a history of previous meniscal injury or meniscectomy after knee trauma at a relatively young age. Active patients who report symptomatic knee instability or pain associated with athletics or activities of daily living after conservative treatment may be indicated for surgery. Current endoscopic methods of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction result in low patient morbidity, the elimination of anterior knee instability, and a timely return of function. Osteotomies about the knee joint are an effective means of treating unicompartmental knee arthrosis. Long-term studies have demonstrated that knee osteotomy is a good surgical option for patients with unicompartmental arthritis who are considered too young for total knee arthroplasty. We describe a comprehensive treatment approach to the patient with anterior cruciate ligament deficiency and isolated medial or lateral osteoarthritis. An assessment of pain symptoms, instability symptoms, and lower extremity alignment is used to formulate a treatment plan.