Obesity in orthopedics and trauma surgery

In 2012, 32.3% of the French population over 18 years of age was considered overweight (25 ≤ BMI < 30 kg/m2) and 15% obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2). Worldwide, 2.8 million people die every year from the complications of obesity. In 2008, the prevalence of obesity was almost double that of 1980. Obesity is a genuine concern for the orthopedic surgeon, as it affects bones and soft tissues on the biomechanical and biochemical level. In traumatology, low-energy trauma is more frequent in obese patients and induces complex comminutive fractures of the extremities. In orthopedics, obesity is an independent risk factor for osteoarthritis, particularly for the knee joint. The goals of this review are to describe specific aspects of the care of obese patients in trauma and orthopedics surgery during the pre-, intra- and postoperative periods, as well as the risk-benefit ratio related to the treatment of the obese patients.