Perioperative outcomes after lower extremity bypass and peripheral vascular interventions in patients with morbid obesity and superobesity

Objective: Although the effect of body mass index (BMI) on the treatment of infrainguinal peripheral artery disease has been reported, outcomes of patients on the upper end of the obesity spectrum, including morbid obesity (MO) and superobesity (SO), are unclear. Our goal was to analyze perioperative outcomes after lower extremity bypass (LEB) and peripheral vascular interventions (PVIs) in this population of patients. Methods: The Vascular Quality Initiative was reviewed for all infrainguinal peripheral artery disease interventions from 2010 to 2017. All patients were categorized into four groups: nonobese (BMI 18.5-29.9 kg/m(2)), obese (BMI 30-39.9 kg/m2), morbidly obese (BMI 40-49.9 kg/m(2)), and superobese (BMI >= 50 kg/m(2)). Patient and case details were recorded. Multivariable analysis was used to analyze outcomes. For statistical analysis, MO and SO groups were combined. Results: We identified 29,138 LEB cases (68.5% nonobese, 28.3% obese, 2.9% morbidly obese, 0.3% superobese) and 81,405 PVI cases (66.6% nonobese, 29.2% obese, 3.6% morbidly obese, 0.5% superobese). For both LEB and PVI, patients with MO and SO were more likely to be younger, female, nonsmokers, and ambulatory (P <.05). They also more often had diabetes, end-stage renal disease, congestive heart failure, and fewer previous inflow procedures (P <.05). LEB and PVI interventions in patients with MO and SO were less often elective and more often performed for tissue loss. Multivariable analysis showed that LEB in patients with MO and SO was not significantly associated with increased perioperative cardiac complications, return to the operating room, or mortality. Patients with MO and SO were significantly associated with increased surgical site infection (odds ratio, 1.43; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.98; P =.03) and increased respiratory complications (odds ratio, 1.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.11-2.31; P =.01). Multivariable analysis showed that MO and SO were not significantly associated with periprocedural access site hematoma, access site stenosis or occlusion, or mortality after PVI. Conclusions: MO and SO were significantly associated with increased incidence of wound infections and respiratory complications after LEB but were not significantly associated with increased incidence after PVI. Overall, patients with MO and SO have more comorbidities and more advanced presentation of vascular disease at the time of intervention, but MO and SO alone should not deter necessary and appropriate revascularization.