GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in Orthopaedic Surgery: Implications for Perioperative Care and Outcomes: An Orthopaedic Surgeon's Perspective.

J Bone Joint Surg Am · Jul 10 2025 · Review

Ramanathan R, Lee JY, Dalton JF, Lin RT, Lee I, Gonzalez C, et al.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

General Orthopaedics

SUMMARY — THE REDUCTIONGLP-1 receptor agonists offer preoperative weight loss benefits for obese diabetic arthroplasty patients; ASA recommends withholding therapy perioperatively and may improve osteoarthritis and osteoporosis outcomes.
Abstract, as published

➢ Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists are a promising tool for preoperative weight loss in the patient who is undergoing orthopaedic surgery and has concomitant obesity and type-2 diabetes mellitus.➢ With regard to the perioperative management of GLP-1 receptor agonists for the orthopaedic surgeon, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) recommends withholding daily-dose GLP-1 therapy on the day of the elective surgical procedure and withholding weekly-dose therapy for the week prior to the procedure.➢ The ASA recommends postponing surgery or proceeding with "full stomach precautions" if the patient undergoing an orthopaedic procedure and taking GLP-1 therapy exhibits gastrointestinal symptoms on the day of the elective procedure.➢ In the trauma setting, patients taking GLP-1 therapy should proceed with the surgical procedure at the discretion of the surgeon with full stomach precautions or a preoperative point-of-care gastric ultrasound.➢ GLP-1 receptor agonists show the potential for disease modification in osteoarthritis and osteoporosis.

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