The uni-compartmental prosthesis (UCP) or half prosthesis is the first prosthetic intervention that can be offered at knee level.

It is intended for patients who have only one compartment of the knee affected. This is often the internal compartment (internal condyle, internal tibial plateau and internal meniscus) but it can also be the external compartment (external condyle, external tibial plateau and external meniscus) or much less often the patellofemoral compartment (patella, trochlea).

The aim is therefore to replace the diseased compartment by a half prosthesis.

Of course the rest of the knee must be satisfactory and the cruciate ligaments must be in good condition.

A partial change requires between 1h and 1h30 of operation ; this operation can be carried out on an outpatient basis and walking with two canes is possible 3 to 4 hours after the operation.

The canes can be left for 2 to 3 weeks after the operation.

The operation is not very painful, all the more so as the patient uses cryotherapy in the suites (Game ready or cryo splint) and a dozen of re-education sessions are necessary.

At 45 days in the majority of cases, the result is already very satisfactory.