5 Key Takeaways

• 1

  New guidelines from the American College of Rheumatology recommend against delaying knee surgery solely for BMI thresholds.

• 2

  The guidelines support postponing surgery for patients with poorly controlled diabetes or active nicotine use.

• 3

  Evidence shows increased perioperative risks associated with obesity, particularly for patients with a BMI over 40 kg/m².

• 4

  The guidelines emphasize individualized decision-making, particularly when evidence quality is low or patient preferences vary.

• 5

  These recommendations may impact surgical decisions for over 14 million Americans with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis.