Obese Patients at Greater Infection Risk After Hip Replacement (HealthDay)

FRIDAY, May 23 (HealthDay News) -- Obese patients are atincreased risk for infection and dislocation following revision (second)hip replacement surgery, according to a study by researchers at GenevaUniversity Hospitals in Switzerland.

They evaluated the impact of obesity on the incidence of seriouscomplications after revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) in 114 women and90 men, mean age 71.6, over a period of up to five years. The researchersalso evaluated whether functional improvement, pain and satisfactiondiffered between obese patients and healthy-weight patients.

The findings revealed a strong correlation between obesity and highrates of adverse events, as well as lower functional gains and morepersistent pain, following revision THA.

Overall, 20 complications occurred in 17 (33 percent) of the 52 obesepatients, compared with 18 complications in 13 (9 percent) of the 152non-obese patients. Obese patients (body-mass index of 30 or more) hadfour times more surgical site infections and 3.5 times more dislocationsthan non-obese patients.

The risk of one or more adverse events increased with rising BMI.Patients with a BMI of between 30 and 34.9 were 4.5 times more likely thannormal weight patients to suffer problems, while those with a BMI of 35 ormore were 10.5 times more likely to experience complications.

After five years, obese patients had moderately lower functionalimprovements and higher levels of routine hip pain.

The study was published in the May issue of Arthritis Care &Research.

"Surgeons, patients and referring physicians should be aware of anincreased risk in this [obese] patient group," lead author Dr. AnneLubbeke said in a prepared statement. "Further studies are necessary toevaluate whether changes in medical preparation, surgical technique, andimplant choice can help reduce the adverse event rate in obese patientsundergoing revision THA."

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