The Effect of Obesity on Achilles Rupture Repair

Introduction. Obesity is an increasingly common comorbidity that may negatively affect outcomes following orthopaedic surgery. It is valuable to determine whether obese patients are vulnerable for postoperative complications. The purpose of this study was to analyze data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) to determine the effect of obesity on surgical treatment of Achilles tendon ruptures. Methods. Patients who underwent a surgical repair of the Achilles tendon were retrospectively identified through the ACS NSQIP. The patients were divided into 2 cohorts (obese and nonobese), then perioperative and postoperative factors were evaluated for association with obesity. Results. A total of 2128 patients were identified, of whom 887 (41.7%) were classified as obese. Obesity correlated with an increased operative time, 60.9 versus 56.1 minutes. The only postoperative complication associated with obesity was wound dehiscence. Logistic regression adjuste...