Preoperative nutritional evaluation as a prognostic tool for wound healing

In 170 patients given primary hip or knee joint prosthesis surgery, we determined the relation between variables connected with the preoperative nutritional state and delayed healing of the surgical wound. 46 patients had a lymphocyte count of less than 1500 cells/mm(3) (normal 1500-3300 cell/mm(3)), 18 an albumin level of less than 3.5 g/dL (normal 3.5-5 gr/dL), and 35 patients had a transferrin level of less than 200 mg/dL (normal 200-400 mg/dL). We found an association between the preoperative lymphocyte count and delay in wound healing, whereas preoperative serum albumin and transferrin levels had no significant predictive value. In addition, a preoperative lymphocyte count of less than 1500 cells/mm(3) was associated with a 3 times higher frequency of healing complications.