Total knee arthroplasty in obese patients

Purpose of review Knee osteoarthritis is associated with increased body weight. The prevalence of obesity is increasing, and the demand for total knee arthroplasty is also growing. Conflicting data have been reported concerning the outcomes after total knee arthroplasty in obese patients, however. The purpose of this paper is to review the last two years' research into outcomes of total knee arthroplasty in obese patients. Recent findings Recent studies on functional outcomes following total joint arthroplasty in obese patients continue to give contradictory results. Several studies report worse outcome scores in obese patients, with higher rate of osteolysis and postoperative complications, while others studies find equivalence between the two groups. Summary Because the recent literature does not provide a consensus on the outcomes of arthroplasty in obese patients, surgeons should continue to critically evaluate and counsel obese patients about the potential additional risks and lower functional gains that are associated with obesity, and encourage preoperative weight reduction.