Cardiopulmonary Disease and Arthroplasty

Total joint arthroplasty (TJA) is a common surgical intervention that carries an inherent risk of perioperative cardiopulmonary complications. This chapter aims to provide an analysis of cardiopulmonary risks in TJA patients, with a focus on recognizing common conditions, identifying patient risk factors, predicting potential complications, and optimizing patient outcomes. Preoperative assessment protocols, featuring history-taking, physical examination, bedside testing, and functional capacity evaluations, are underscored. The chapter also presents risk quantification tools, promoting their application to individualize patient management strategies. Data on the incidence of perioperative complications highlight the need for vigilant postoperative monitoring and indicate common timelines for major and minor events. Furthermore, recommendations for preoperative risk management and perioperative therapy, including anticoagulation strategies, and specific approaches to conditions, such as atrial fibrillation and congestive heart failure, are discussed. This chapter advocates for a tailored preoperative evaluation and patient-specific management of cardiovascular risk factors in those undergoing TJA. By incorporating predictive tools and evidence-based strategies, healthcare professionals may reduce the rate of perioperative cardiopulmonary complications, thereby improving patient safety and surgical outcomes.