Bariatric surgery before knee surgery could help morbidly obese patients

Bariatric surgery has come under a lot of flak in recent years but one cannot ignore its benefits – especially when it comes to obese patients needing knee surgery. Statistics show that adverse outcomes and post-operative maintenance costs are on the rise in obese patients who undergo following total knee replacement surgery (TKR). But now, thanks to a new computer model-based evaluation, there is strong support for bariatric surgery prior to TKR, in severely obese patients with end-stage osteoarthritis.

Obesity is a growing epidemic in the United States with almost 30% of Americans falling into the obese category. Obesity is a known risk factor for arthritis, but it is even more of a high risk for bad prognosis post knee-replacement surgery. While knee replacement is a typical treatment for irreversible osteoarthritis, obesity increases the risk for complications. Obese patients are more prone to post-operative infections, delayed wound healing, revisional surgery, and reduced functional outcomes.

Read more at http://www.belmarrahealth.com/bariatric-surgery-before-knee-surgery-coul...