Should I have knee replacement or lipedema surgery first?
The decision to have knee or hip replacement surgery before or after lipedema surgery is an individual one and depends on the details of a person’s condition.
Factors to be considered include:
Status of the joint that will be replaced and the extent to which joint issues are interfering with daily activities.
Size, shape, and locations of lipedema fatty tissues that would be removed.
In general, removing lipedema fat before joint replacement may provide a better outcome because:
Lipedema tissue removal on the thighs can restore more normal limb positioning, reduce medial strain on the joint, and help knee joint alignment. Lipedema tissue removal on the calf and thigh help the knee have more normal bending or range of motion.
Circulation will be improved after lipedema surgery to support faster healing.
Both improve the chances of successful knee replacement.
While the risk of infection following lipedema surgery using liposuction is very low, if the knee joint is replaced first and an infection did develop, the possibility of infecting a newly replaced knee joint would be very concerning.
Talk with your doctors to find the best approach for your specific situation. The decision of the order of surgery should be based on shared decision-making involving your orthopedic surgeon, lipedema surgeon, and primary care provider.
Author: Chuck Ehrlich
Reviewers: Thomas Wright, MD, Nicholas Pennings, DO; John Bartholomew, MD, Linda-Anne Kahn, CMT CLT-LANA CHNC.
Review dates: 2022-06-07, 2022-12-08, 2022-12-12