Classification of Knee Osteoarthritis

PROGRESS OF FEMEROTIBIAL ARTHROSIS

Bauer also followed 89 patients with Ahlback Stage I, II, and III (3 of 5 stages) osteoarthritis for a period of 13 years with no surgical intervention performed.

Only 12% progressed to Ahlback stage V osteoarthritis. 64% did not advance beyond Ahlback stage III.

 

CONCLUSION

1. Knee osteoarthritis is a segmental disease.
2. Weight bearing compartment involvement is primarily medial.
3. Combined medial and lateral involvement is rare (2%) and when it occurs it is late in appearance.
4. Patellofemoral osteoarthritic involvement is common (over 50%) but is well tolerated in 95% of patients treated with unicompartmental arthroplasty in the intermediate term.
5. Sclerotic unicompartmental Osteoarthritis Repicci stage II (Ahlback stage 2, 3, and 4) is a stable stage for the intermediate term (ten years).
6. TKR performed on patients with Repicci stage II (Ahlback stage 2, 3, and 4) unicompartmental knee arthritis anticipating future involvement of the remaining weight bearing compartment may be utilizing a salvage procedure 10 years prematurely.
7. Unicompartmental arthrosplasty modified to arthroscopic morbidity while preserving bone stock for future TKR is an attractive treatment option.

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