Background: gonarthrosis is a common entity characterized by involvement of one or more compartments, of which the lateral one is the one with the lowest incidence in isolation. 

Aim: the aims of this research are to updated on the most important features on lateral knee osteoarthritis and look for updated bibliography on the subject. Methods: PubMed, Hinari, SciELO and Medline databases were searched for citations from August 1st 2021 to September 30th 2021 using the EndNote search manager and reference manager. Out of 312 articles, 44 selected citations were used in this review, being 42 of the last five years. 

Results: the main causes of lateral knee osteoarthritis are mentioned, especially the secondary ones. Reference is made to the main clinical and imaging elements for diagnosis based on plain radiography and magnetic resonance imaging. Both conservative and surgical treatment modalities are exposed, in the latter the main indications and complications are described, among which osteotomies and arthroplasties stand out. 

Conclusions: lateral gonarthrosis is the least common of the unicompartmental gonarthrosis that affect the knee joint. Clinical and imaging diagnosis provides the essential elements for both conservative and surgical therapeutic behaviour, the latter modality includes techniques that preserve the joint such as osteotomies and others that do not, such as arthroplasties.

Alejandro Alvarez López has completed his PhD at the age of 40 years from Medical University, Cuba. He is the head of the Orthopaedic teaching department at University Hospital Manuel Ascunce Domenech, Camaguey, Cuba. He has over 170 publications that have been cited over 220 times. He has been serving as an editorial board member of several reputed journals, such as: Journal of Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy; Journal of Experimental Orthopaedics; Journal of Clinical Orthopaedics and Trauma Care and Journal of Orthopedic Practice.