Patients Lose Weight After Total Joint Replacement

July 30, 2010 -- patients who were obese lost weight after undergoing total knee or surgery, according to a recent study published in Orthopedics. Among a study group of 196 patients, researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine found that nearly 20% lost at least 5% or more of their body weight and experienced a significant decrease in (BMI) -- a measurement of -- after undergoing total joint replacement, or arthroplasty. BMI decreases were greater among knee replacement patients (21.5%) than hip replacement patients (16.9%), researchers reported. The findings suggest total joint replacement may help with weight loss and weight management for overweight patients with osteoarthritis because replacing damaged bone with prosthetics increases patients' mobility and reduces the pain and disability that accompanies osteoarthritis. Eighty-nine patients underwent total hip replacement surgery and 107 patients underwent total knee replacement. "Both total knee patients and total hip patients experienced a statistically significant and clinically significant corrected weight loss following surgery, which indicates a healthier overall lifestyle." Total joint replacement is a common treatment for advanced osteoarthritis, the most common form of in which the cartilage between the bones is chronically breaking down.