Hip replacement in obese patients

In a 5-year follow-up study of 125 hip replacements a. m. Lubinus, 41 obese and 84 nonobese patients were compared. Peroperative blood loss was greater in the obese patients. There was, however, no difference in the operation or hospitalization times between the compared groups. There was no infection, wound dehiscence, or delay in wound healing. No deaths occurred during the immediate postoperative period. The obese patients had a lower preoperative walking-ability score. At follow-up, this difference was eliminated. Radiographic signs of loosening were equally common in the compared groups. Three patients, two of whom were in the nonobese group, had been reoperated on because of prosthetic loosening. Our results indicate that obesity does not increase the risk of surgical complication or prosthetic loosening in hip replacement.