Published online Apr 18, 2024. doi: 10.5312/wjo.v15.i4.310
Peer-review started: October 24, 2023
First decision: January 6, 2024
Revised: January 22, 2024
Accepted: March 5, 2024
Article in press: March 5, 2024
Published online: April 18, 2024
Processing time: 174 Days and 17 Hours
In this editorial I comment on the article by Ahmed et al published in a recent issue of the World J Orthop 2023; 14: 784-790. It is well known that patients who have undergone a liver transplant (LT) may need to have a total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA) implanted. Ahmed et al stated that the mortality rate in these patients was similar to the one of the general population. However, there are three articles previously published that found higher mortality in LT patients who experienced THA/TKA than in the general population (individuals without LT). Therefore, in this Editorial I would like to point out that there is controversy in the literature regarding whether LT patients undergoing THA/TKA have higher mortality than the general population. Therefore, future research should attempt to resolve this controversy.
Core Tip: The existing publications are contradictory regarding mortality rates in liver transplant patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty and total knee arthroplasty. Therefore, this controversy should be duly analyzed in future studies.