Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty in Patients with Severe Obesity

Patients with severe obesity had higher risk for revisions during the first year following TKA; however, pain was reduced substantially.

Although patients with very high body–mass index (BMI) have excess risk for complications after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), a recent guideline discourages “use of absolute BMI or rigid thresholds” that would prohibit surgery (NEJM JW Gen Med Dec 1 2023 and Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 2023; 75:2227). In this retrospective study of 10,000 Canadian patients (68% with BMI ≥30 kg/m²) who underwent TKA for degenerative arthritis, researchers evaluated outcomes between patients with severe obesity (BMI ≥50 kg/m²) and patients in lower weight groups. Mean follow-up was 8.6 years.

During the first year following TKA, risk for TKA revision among patients with BMI ≥50 kg/m² was significantly higher than risk among patients with overweight (BMI 25.0…

Reviewing Author

Paul S. Mueller, MD, MPH, FACP

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Paul S. Mueller, MD, MPH, FACP

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty in Patients with Severe Obesity

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Reviewing Author