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J Knee Surg 2022; 35(13): 1393-1400
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1723968
Original Article

Occupational Outcomes and Revision Rates for Medial Unicondylar Knee Arthroplasty in U.S. Military Servicemembers

Marina Rodriguez
1   Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, William Beaumont Army Medical Center, El Paso, Texas
,
Ken Heida
1   Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, William Beaumont Army Medical Center, El Paso, Texas
,
Danielle E. Rider 
2   Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
,
Gens P. Goodman
1   Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, William Beaumont Army Medical Center, El Paso, Texas
,
Brian R. Waterman
3   Division of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
,
Philip J. Belmont Jr.
4   Department of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland
› Author Affiliations Funding None.
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Abstract

This study evaluates return to work and revision rates for medial unicondylar knee arthroplasty (UKA) in a high-demand military cohort. Patient demographic and clinical variables were isolated from the medical records of active-duty military servicemembers with at least 2 years of postoperative follow-up and correlated with return to work, medial UKA survivorship, and perioperative complications. The medial UKA annual revision rate was calculated as the percentage of implants revised per observed component year. A total of 39 servicemembers underwent 46 primary medial UKAs (32 unilateral and 7 bilateral) with a mean follow-up of 3.9 (2.0–6.6) years. At a minimum of 2 years postoperatively, 33 (85%) servicemembers returned to military service or successfully completed their service obligation. Older servicemembers (odds ratio [OR] = 0.67; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.45, 0.99) had a significantly decreased OR for knee-related medical separation. Nine servicemembers (20%) had conversion to TKA at an average of 2.4 (range, 0.6–5.6) years with a medial UKA annual revision rate of 5%. When compared with Navy/Air Force, Army/Marine servicemembers had an increased TKA conversion rate (OR = 5.40; 95% CI: 1.13, 25.81). Older age decreased the likelihood of medical separation and Army/Marines service was the sole risk factor associated with conversion to TKA. The level of evidence is IV, therapeutic case series.

Keywords

unicompartmental knee arthroplasty - work - military - occupation - functional outcomes

Note

The findings presented in this manuscript have not been previously presented.




Publication History

Received: 29 April 2020

Accepted: 02 January 2021

Article published online:
19 February 2021

© 2021. Thieme. All rights reserved.

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