title: Anesthesia case management for bariatric surgery.
abstract: An increasing number of bariatric surgeries are performed every year. A thorough understanding of the pathophysiologic changes, surgical procedure, and anesthesia case management for morbidly obese patients and of the pharmacology of weight-reduction and anesthetic drugs is essential to provide high-quality anesthetic care. The various comorbidities associated with obesity may complicate anesthetic management. Anesthetists must perform a thorough preoperative assessment to identify potential risk factors related to anesthesia and adequately prepare for intraoperative management. Intubation, maintenance of oxygenation, and pain management may be particularly challenging, and various strategies are presented. In addition, an obese patient is at higher risk for postoperative complications. Signs and symptoms of surgical complications may mimic medical complications, making diagnosis difficult.
authors.affiliation: Kaiser Permanente School of Anesthesia/California State University Fullerton Department of Nursing, Pasadena, California, USA. Jen.1.thompson@kp.org
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bordi
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boytim
authors.forename: Sass
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Elisha
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heiner
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nagelhout
mesh_terms: D050110:Bariatric Surgery; D019090:Case Management; D015897:Comorbidity; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing; D006801:Humans; D009719:Nurse Anesthetists; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D012307:Risk Factors