Background: Patient optimization is receiving increasing attention as outcomes monitoring and bundled payments have been introduced in joint arthroplasty. Optimization of nutrition is an important aspect of perioperative management.
Methods: This manuscript is a review of previously published material related to nutrition and the impact of malnutrition on surgical outcomes, with guidance for surgeons preparing patients for elective joint arthroplasty.
Results: Patients with optimized nutritional parameters have fewer complications, especially related to wound healing and infection.
Conclusion: Nutritional assessment and optimization should be a part of the perioperative management of patients undergoing lower extremity arthroplasty.
Keywords: arthroplasty; infection; malnutrition; optimization; wound healing.
Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.