BMI Does NOT Predict the Fat Over Your Incision Site

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For years, orthopedic surgeons have been told: BMI > 40? No hip or knee for you. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) drew that line in the sand, and many institutions followed.

But a new study from the Miami Orthopaedic Research Foundation and Larkin Hospital asks the question — does body mass index (BMI) actually measure what matters for surgical risk, or are we using the wrong ruler entirely?