Malnutrition is associated with poor outcomes following total ankle arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND

Malnutrition has been associated with various complications following orthopaedic surgery. This study evaluated the effects of malnutrition on outcomes following total ankle arthroplasty (TAA).

METHODS

A retrospective review yielded 1542 propensity matched TAA patients. The malnutrition cohort consisted of patients with laboratory evidence of transferrin ≤ 204 mg/dL, leukocyte ≤ 1.5 × 10 ³ /µL, or albumin ≤ 3.5 g/dL within 3 months prior to surgery. Short-term medical complications and long-term mechanical outcomes were evaluated.

RESULTS

Within 90 days postoperatively, malnutrition was associated with a significant risk of readmission, wound disruption, sepsis, myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism, pneumonia, deep vein thrombosis, and infection (p < 0.05). At 5 years, malnutrition was associated with a periprosthetic joint infection, revision arthrodesis, periprosthetic fracture, and below knee amputation (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Adequate preoperative transferrin, albumin, and leukocyte values is a potential modifiable factor to prevent poorer outcomes following TAA.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.