2026 AAHKS Annual Meeting: Comparing Time to Meaningful Recovery After Unicompartmental vs. Total Knee Arthroplasty

9944 patients undergoing knee arthroplasty were included in a retrospective, propensity-matched cohort study comparing unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) (n=1738) with total knee arthroplasty (TKA) (n=8206). The primary outcomes of interest were minimal clinically important difference (MCID) achievement and time to MCID, assessed using the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score Physical Function Short-form (KOOS-PS), Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Global Physical Health, and PROMIS Physical Function Short-form 10a (PF-10a). Secondary outcomes included conversion or revision surgery and other reoperations. Patients had a minimum follow-up of 2 years, with reoperations evaluated at 2 and 5 years. Overall, the results revealed that both procedures achieved clinically meaningful functional recovery within similar timeframes, although UKA patients were more likely to achieve MCID for PROMIS PF-10a. UKA was associated with higher conversion or revision rates, while TKA had more other reoperations. These findings suggested that both procedures provided comparable recovery trajectories, with different postoperative reoperation risks.