Bariatric Surgery Before TKA may be Cost-effective for Morbidly Obese Patients with Knee OA

Healio—April 27, 2016

Healio covers research findings from a recent Hospital for Special Surgery study that suggests morbidly obese patients who undergo bariatric surgery two years prior to total knee arthroplasty (TKA) experience greater quality of life compared with TKA alone.

According to the article, "The idea was to explore whether or not performing an intervention before a total knee arthroplasty for morbid obesity might alter patient outcomes and be a cost-effective way of altering those outcomes," said Alexander S. McLawhorn, MD, MBA, a clinical orthopedic surgery fellow at Hospital for Special Surgery. Dr. McLawhorn adds, "Bariatric surgery 2 years prior to a total knee arthroplasty in morbidly obese patients may be a cost-effective treatment protocol from the societal and health payer perspectives."

To read the full article, visit Healio.com.