Is Obesity a Risk Factor for Spinal Surgeries? A Retrospective Study in a Specialized Orthopedic Spine Center

Various studies have shown the effects of morbid obesity on the adverse consequences of various surgeries, especially postoperative infections. However, some studies have shown that the complications of spinal surgery in obese and non-obese patients are not significantly different. 

This study investigated and compared the duration of surgery, length of hospital stay, and complications after common spinal surgeries by orthopedic spine fellowship in obese and non-obese patients in a specialized spine center in Iran.

All patients who underwent decompression with or without lumbar fusion were included in this retrospective study. These patients were classified into two groups: non-obese (BMI <30 kg/m2) and obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m2). The data related to type and levels of surgery, 30-day hospital complications, length of hospital stay, rate of postoperative wound infection, blood loss, and need for transfusion were all extracted and compared between the two groups.

A total of 148 patients (74%) were in the non-obese group and 52 patients (26%) in the obese group. The number of patients that need packed cells was significantly higher in the obese group (51.8% vs 32.6%) (P=0.01). Otherwise, there were not a significant difference between type of treatment (fusion or only decompression) (P=0.78), interbody fusion (P=0.26), osteotomy (P=0.56), duration of surgery (P=0.25), length of hospital stay (P=0.72), mean amount of blood loss (P=0.09), and postoperative complications (P=0.68) between the two groups.

Our results suggest that duration of surgery, length of hospital stay, and postoperative complications are not associated with the BMI of the patients.