The Ongoing Challenges with the Peri-operative Care of the Morbidly Obese Patient

Blog Post by Jay B. Brodsky, MD and Harry J.M. Lemmens, MD, PhD, and Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305

We are all aware that the world is experiencing an obesity epidemic. Given the great numbers of morbidly obese patients currently undergoing surgery and the predicted increases in those numbers for the future, every health care professional must be familiar with the unique management concerns of these potentially complex patients.          

The morbidly obese patient can be especially challenging for their anesthesiologist and surgeon.  There are physiologic changes to almost every organ system, numerous associated medical co-morbidities, altered uptake and distribution of anesthetic agents and other drugs, potentially difficult airways, as well as technical difficulties related to the large size of these patients.