Risk of Joint Replacement Complications Is Greater With Uncontrolled Diabetes

Approximately 8% of people who have hip or knee replacement surgery in the United States are diabetic. According to study results published in the July 2009 issue of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, diabetics undergoing joint replacement are at much higher risk for complications and it is imperative that their glucose (blood sugar) levels be under control.

Researchers analyzed a database of more than one million patients who had joint replacements between 1988 and 2005. Regardless of the diabetes type, patients with diabetes mellitus who had controlled glucose levels before, during, and after surgery had fewer complications. Patients who had uncontrolled glucose levels were more than 3 times as likely to experience a stroke or death after joint replacement surgery and twice as likely to develop post-op bleeding or an infection.

Related Resources:

• Obesity Linked to Osteoarthritis and Joint Replacement Complications
• Arthritis and Diabetes Together Can Impede Physical Activity
• Total Hip Replacement - What You Need to Know
• Total Knee Replacement - What You Need to Know

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