New research presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, which concluded on September 3rd, suggests that preoperative marijuana use increases a person’s likelihood of needing to be readmitted to address an issue with their recovery following total knee replacement.
To better understand the impact that marijuana use could have on total knee replacement patients, researchers from the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center examined data from 2010-2018 to look at 90-day and one-year outcomes among marijuana users and non-users who underwent total knee arthroscopy.
After examining the data, researchers found that when comparing the two groups, readmission rates were significantly higher for marijuana users compared to non-users at both 90 days and one-year post op. Other findings from the study include:
- Opioid consumption between the two groups did not differ at 90 days or one year.
- Rates for certain complications, like cerebrovascular accidents, deep vein thrombosis and urinary tract infections were all significantly higher for marijuana users compared to non-users at 90 days, but they were similar at one year.
- Revisional operation rates were similar between the two groups at 90 days and one year.
Talk To Your Surgeon About Lifestyle Choices
At the conclusion of their study, researchers wrote that “preoperative counsel of marijuana users by arthroplasty surgeons may help reduce the risk of these postoperative complications, and guide expectations on postprocedure outcomes.”
And while more studies involving the frequency and consumption habits of marijuana users ahead of knee replacement surgery are needed to better understand the full effects, the study speaks to the bigger idea that it’s imperative that you are completely open and honest with your treating surgeon ahead of any operation. Marijuana is legal for recreational use in many states and is even more widely accepted in the US to manage a variety of medical conditions, so we’re certainly not here to judge your use.
Our singular goal is to do everything in our power to help you have the most successful surgery and recovery, and we can’t always do that if we don’t understand the full scope of your health. Preoperative marijuana use won’t disqualify you from knee replacement surgery, but it will help us better work to avoid some sources of hospital readmission that can affect marijuana users. This isn’t much different than the standard course of care you’d receive, but as we said before, we want to do everything we can to account for any possible obstacles to healthy recovery, so we’ll leave no stone unturned in our quest to provide you with the best care possible.
So if you want to trust your knee surgery to a doctor who is going to work hard to minimize all preventable risks to your operation and recovery, look no further than Dr. Botero. We pride ourselves on helping patients become healthier versions of themselves, and we’d love to do the same for you. For more information, contact our office today at (865) 558-4400.
