(New York Times) – Many doctors say it is too dangerous to perform the common surgeries on people with high body mass indexes, but patients say they are facing discrimination.

While the science of body mass index is frequently criticized, doctors say the risks of operating on patients with B.M.I.s that fall in the upper ranges of obesity can be dire, including infections deep in the prosthetic joint that can lead to amputations and even death. And the risks escalate as a patient’s B.M.I. increases.

Professional organizations — the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons — do not have firm B.M.I. cutoffs for operations, but orthopedists have their own. (Read More)