Obesity and orthopaedic surgery

Every orthopaedic surgeon is aware of the potential problems that can arise when operating on a patient with an elevated BMI. This is particularly the case with those involved in total knee and hip replacement procedures. Of course, many overweight patients have a positive outcome from the surgery, but it does come with a number of risks. These include elevated blood loss, along with the potential of the patient developing deep vein thrombosis. Additionally, the time the patient is on the operating table is often extended, as is the recovery time.