Dr. Suleiman and colleagues from Chicago, Illinois presented the results of their study at the 25th anniversary of the American Association of Joint Replacement Surgeons in Dallas, Texas November 2015. They used a large database from 2005 to 2012 to evaluate the interactive effects of obesity and diabetes on outcomes after joint replacement surgery. They noted that diabetes increases the risk for postoperative complications irrespective of body mass index. They found that the interaction between obesity and diabetes was additive and led to greater complications following joint replacement surgery.
This is why at Proliance Orthopedic Associates, we make a serious attempt for obese individuals and diabetics to optimize their health prior to elective joint replacement surgery. It is in the patient’s best interest to get their weight to as reasonable a level as possible and to make sure that their diabetes is appropriately treated and managed prior to surgery to attempt to minimize their postoperative risks.