Study: Is there a reasonable BMI criterion for TJA?
A study published in the April 4 issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery attempts to assess various body mass index (BMI) criteria for total joint arthroplasty (TJA). The authors conducted a retrospective, cohort study of 27,671 TJAs to determine if various BMI eligibility criteria had been enforced, how many short-term complications would have been avoided, how many complication-free surgical procedures would have been denied, and the positive predictive value of BMI eligibility criteria as tests for major complications. They found that with a BMI criterion of ≥40 kg/m 2, 1,148 patients would have been denied a surgical procedure free of major complications, and 83 patients would have avoided a major complication. They write that the positive predictive value of a complication based on a BMI of ≥40 kg/m 2 as a test for major complications was 6.74 percent, while the positive predictive value of a complication using a BMI criterion of ≥30 kg/m 2 was 5.33 percent. “Although the acceptable balance between avoiding complications and providing access to care can be debated,” they write, “such a quantitative assessment helps to inform decisions regarding the advisability of enforcing a BMI criterion for [TJA].”
Dr. Tarlow is the only Orthopedic Surgeon to limit his practice to encompass Adult Reconstruction and Sports Medicine for the diagnosis and treatment of knees. Dr. Tarlow’s practice focuses on excelling in the art of Knee Diagnosis and Surgery. He performs the full spectrum of Knee Surgery from Knee Arthroscopy, ACL Reconstruction, Patellar Stabilization and Cartilage Restoration to Makoplasty Partial Knee Replacement to Total Knee Replacement to Revision Total Knee Replacement. His focus is exceptional customer service and he endeavors to exceed the diverse expectations of his patients.
