National joint registries report increasing revision rates with decreasing patient age for all types of joint arthroplasty. This study aimed to explore the effect of age on function and revision risk in patients undergoing medial meniscal-bearing UKA.
A prospectively followed cohort of 1000 consecutive medial meniscal-bearing UKAs at a designer center was analyzed. All knees were implanted for recommended indications and had mean 10-year follow-up. Patients were grouped by age at surgery (<55, 55 to <65, 65 to <75, 75+). Oxford Knee Scores (OKS) were assessed at 5 and 10 years. Component-time revision incidence rates and Kaplan-Meier implant survival were calculated.
Mean patient age at surgery was 66.6 years (range, 33-88). All age-groups had significant (P < .001) improvement in OKS over time, and at 5 years achieved a median OKS of 44. At 10 years, median OKS, from youngest group to eldest, were 44, 45, 42, and 39, with the eldest group having a significantly lower OKS (P < .01). Ten-year implant survival rates were 97%, 94%, 94%, and 93%, respectively, and was not significantly associated with age at UKA.
Medial meniscal-bearing UKA provides good functional outcomes in all age-groups; however, in older patients (75+), the functional outcome deteriorated at 10 years presumably due to deteriorating health. Contrary to registry observations, the revision rate was not higher in younger patients. These results suggest that, with correct indications, patient age should not be considered a contraindication to medial meniscal-bearing UKA.