Lower extremity arterial reconstruction in obese patients

• We evaluated the effect of obesity on outcomes following open infrainguinal arterial reconstruction on a national level.
• A query of the American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Database was conducted.
• Obese and morbidly obese patients had a higher risk of wound infection.
• Obesity, but not morbid obesity, was associated with decreased mortality.

BackgroundPrevious reports have noted that obese patients undergoing lower extremity arterial reconstruction have higher complication rates compared with nonobese patients. We evaluated the effect of obesity on outcomes following open infrainguinal arterial reconstruction on a national level.MethodsA query of the American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Database was conducted to identify all adult patients who underwent open infrainguinal lower extremity arterial reconstruction from 2005 to 2009. Postoperative outcomes were analyzed in different body mass index groups.ResultsObese and morbidly obese patients had a higher risk of wound infection when compared with normal weight patients (odds ratios 2.1 and 2.7, P < .05). Obese patients had a lower mortality when compared with normal weight patients (odds ratio .83, P < .05).ConclusionsObesity was associated with an increase in wound infection after open lower extremity arterial reconstruction. Obesity, but not morbid obesity, was associated with decreased mortality.