Perioperative nutrition in the orthopedic surgical patient

Maintaining adequate nutrition status in the orthopedic patient promotes wound healing, preserves lean body mass, and prevents postoperative complications. Patients who are malnourished or at high nutrition risk should be identified and treated early to minimize risk of complications. Malnutrition in the orthopedic surgical patient can lead to poor wound healing, increased risk for infection, pressure ulcers, increased morbidity and mortality, increased medical costs, and prolonged hospitalization. Orthopedic patients should be screened early, within 24 h of admission, in order to establish a timely nutrition intervention plan. Elderly, trauma patients, diabetic patients, and patients undergoing complex orthopedic surgeries present with unique nutritional challenges and should be identified promptly for initiation of an appropriate nutrition care plan. Nutrition screening tools, anthropometric measures, and laboratory markers are often used to identify patients at nutrition risk. Registered dietitians (RDs) should be consulted for the assessment and intervention of orthopedic patients who present at nutrition risk.