The Orthopedic clinics of North America
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There has been a significant increase in the prevalence of obesity in the United States over the last 20 years, with the highest percentage in Mississippi. The percentage of obese patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) appears to be increasing at an even faster rate. Orthopedic surgeons performing hip arthroplasty need to be aware of potential issues to minimize complications associated with this population. This article outlines preoperative and postoperative care and describes current techniques and tools used by surgeons in obese patients to facilitate soft tissue dissection, exposure, implant placement, and closure.
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Orthop. Clin. North Am. · Jan 2011
Comparative StudyPercutaneous treatment of pelvic and acetabular fractures in obese patients.
A body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 is becoming increasingly common in the United States. Surgery for pelvic and acetabular fractures in this population is particularly problematic because conventional treatment often requires large surgical exposures. ⋯ Wound problems and infections are particularly common after open surgery in obese patients, and these increase linearly with the BMI. In this article, we present a small consecutive series over 14 months on obese patients who underwent percutaneous treatment of their pelvic or acetabular fractures.