The Effect of BMI on 30 Day Outcomes Following Total Joint Arthroplasty

Hip and knee arthroplasty (THA, TKA) are safe, effective procedures with reliable, reproducible outcomes. We aim to investigate obesity’s effect on complications following arthroplasty surgery. Using the American College of Surgeons–National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database, 13,250 subjects were stratified into 5 groups based on BMI and matched for gender, age, surgery type and ASA class. Matched, multivariable generalized linear models adjusting for demographics and comorbidities demonstrated an association between elevated BMI and overall (P < 0.001), medical (P = 0.005), surgical complications (P < 0.001), including superficial (P = 0.019) and deep wound infection (P = 0.040), return to OR (P = 0.016) and time from OR to discharge (P = 0.003). Elevated BMI increases risk for post-operative complications following total joint arthroplasty.