The influence of preoperative nutritional status in wound healing after replacement arthroplasty

Patient nutritional status was evaluated preoperatively using the serological parameters serum albumin, serum transferrin, and total lymphocyte count in 40 patients who underwent replacement arthroplasty (33 hips and 7 knees). Using the standard criteria, the overall incidence of malnutrition was 40% (16 cases). Ten percent (4 patients) had a negative value in the Rainey McDonald nutritional index. On follow-up, no patient had delayed wound healing or wound infection. Attention to surgeon-dependent factors can offset the high risk of delayed wound healing imposed by patient-dependent factors.