New Study Says: Weight Loss Surgery Better Than Knee Replacements

Note from BGP : We found this on the internet with our credit to Daily Times Gazette. This study is new and counter to past opinions by the medical industry.  We consider it an excellent study, and encourage insurance and Medicare to cover weight loss surgery for coverage.

Most obese patients suffer from damage on their knees or hips because of the heavy weight that these areas are carrying every day. Due to this case, overweight people need to have their knees or hips replaced from making further damage to other bone areas.

However, replacement is not always the solution to their problems. Medical staffs are highly concerned about the patients after the replacement surgery, if they choose to remain to be in a heavy state, because the replacements might not do its purpose well.

Emily Dodwell, MD, an orthopedic surgeon and led researchers of the study said that, “Up to 50 percent of hip replacements are performed in obese patients at some institutions… Obesity is associated with longer hospital stays, higher overall costs and higher failure rates, necessitating costly revision surgery.”

Replacement cases for obese patients oftentimes lead to the doctors advising the patient to lose weight before the replacement surgery is performed. And in most cases, doctors highly recommend weight loss surgical procedures, like bariatric surgery, to help the patient lose weight rapidly with an accompanying quick recovery.

In their study, they used a mathematical model to stimulate, analyze and understand the possible outcomes, costs of each treatment that is dependent on the data already published in literature references. And they reach a conclusion that weight loss surgery is best for obese patients who need knee or hip replacement for money and health benefits.

Dodwell said that the weight loss surgery should be performed before the replacement surgery because it is cost-effective for increased positive outcomes to the patient. She added, “Some health care systems do not include weight loss surgery as a covered benefit, and it is possible that studies such as this will be helpful in re-evaluating whether weight loss surgery may be a reasonable covered benefit.”

Furthermore, they also found a link on decreased risk of heart disease and some types of cancer for patients who sought for weight loss surgery.

The study was presented at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons in Las Vegas.