The Impact of Obesity on Orthopedic Upper Extremity Surgery

Obese patients have increased rates of upper extremity injury, carpal tunnel syndrome, and upper extremity osteoarthritis. Preoperative considerations include cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, and diabetes mellitus. Intraoperative and anesthetic considerations include specialized equipment, patient positioning, and the physiology of obese patients. Postoperative considerations should include increased risk of cardiovascular complications as well as surgical site infections and malunion. Surgery of the hand and upper extremity may be less prone to the postoperative complications seen in other regions of the body. There are currently no direct contraindications for obese patients to undergo orthopedic procedures if the appropriate considerations have been made.