Intra-operative and short term outcome of total knee arthroplasty in morbidly obese patients

Longer operation times, poorer patient outcomes and increased early post-operative complications are reasons cited for not undertaking Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) on morbidly obese patients. This study tests the hypothesis that there is no difference in intra-operative parameters between morbidly obese and non-obese patients, and no difference in patient outcome.

Intra-operative parameters, post-operative complications, patient outcomes and knee range of motion were compared between morbidly obese patients (BMI > 40 kg/m ²) and individually age and gender matched non-obese patients (BMI < 30 kg/m ²) undergoing cementless rotating platform TKA.

Anaesthetic times and length of hospital stay were not significantly different between the morbidly obese and non-obese patients. Surgical time was significantly greater in morbidly obese patients. Improvements in patient outcomes following TKA were not significantly different between the morbidly obese and non-obese patients at early and short-term follow-up.

In contrast to previous studies, post-operative complication rates within three months of surgery and up to one year post-operatively were not significantly higher for morbidly obese patients.

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