BMI influence on total ankle arthroplasty outcomes: A systematic review

Abstract

Total ankle arthroplasty has become an increasingly popular surgical treatment option for ankle arthritis. Patient selection for this procedure is a debated topic. Traditionally, total ankle arthroplasty is chosen for patients who perform only low-demand activities, those who are elderly, and those who are not overweight. More recently, foot and ankle surgeons have been expanding this selection criteria. The goal of the present study is to perform a systematic review on the impact of body mass index on total ankle survivorship and complications. 18 articles were included in the present systematic review. Five studies were analyzed for complications and indicated a potential increase in the odds of complications in patients with higher body mass index values, but this did not reach statistical significance (p > 0.05). There was not sufficient information to estimate a pooled effect of body mass index on total ankle arthroplasty survivorship. Due to the limited number of studies that met the review's inclusion and exclusion criteria, a statistical analysis was only performed on complication rates. In addition to a slight increase in complication risk for individuals with higher body mass index values, the results of this review also highlight the need for further studies that investigate the impact of body mass index on total ankle arthroplasty outcomes.