By: Roger Dobson
BMJ, Published 31 July 2008
Clinically obese people can benefit almost as much as anyone else from knee replacement surgery, research has shown (Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 2008; doi 10.1136/ard.2008.093229).
The findings show that there is little justification for policies that deny this type of surgery to obese patients on the grounds of their body mass index (BMI).
BMI should not be a contraindication, provided that the patient is sufficiently fit to undergo the short term rigours of surgery.
However: Obesity is obviously a strong risk factor for developing knee osteoarthritis.
