Patient Characteristics, Length of Stay, Cost of Care, and Complications in Super-Obese Patients Undergoing Total Hip Arthroplasty: A National Database Study
Senthil Sambandam, Philip Serbin, Tejas Senthil, Sushrruti Varatharaj, Vishaal Sakthivelnathan, Sruthi Ramanan, Varatharaj Mounasamy
Abstract
Background: undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) versus non-super-obese (NSO) patients undergoing THA. Methods: ) patients were reviewed. We used International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 codes to assess postoperative variables including length of stay, cost of care (cost of inpatient hospitalization), and medical and surgical complications among SO patients undergoing THA compared to NSO patients before being discharged. Results: < 0.001). The SO patients also showed a higher risk of several postoperative surgical complications such as periprosthetic fractures, infection, and wound dehiscence. Conclusions: Postoperative complication rates in SO patients were higher than those in the NSO group. Length of stay and cost of care were higher, whereas the mean age was lower for the SO group. Therefore, THA in SO patients should be undertaken only after careful consideration and preferably in a tertiary facility capable of handling all medical and surgical in-hospital complications.