Anaesthesia for the Overweight and Obese Patient

Obesity and, in particular, morbid obesity, now affects upwards of one-third of the population of the Western world. Morbidly obese and super-obese patients are no longer uncommon, and frequently present for anaesthesia and surgery. Every practising anaesthetist is likely to be faced with such patients, either in the elective or emergency setting. Because morbid obesity is frequently complicated by a number of potentially life-threatening comorbidities, and because of the technical and physical challenges involved in treating the morbidly obese, they represent a daunting prospect for even the most experienced and skilled anaesthetist. Moreover, they potentially represent an extremely high-risk group of patients. The high level of concurrent disease in these patients as well as their altered physiology mean that standard anaesthetic drugs, equipment and techniques may be sub-optimal or even inappropriate. This book provides a wealth of practical information and advice for the clinical anaesthetist dealing with the overweight/obese patient.
It also provides a summary of the basic principles of the physiology of obesity, enabling the clinician to arrive at sound solutions to complex clinical problems. This book does not aim to replace the major texts or research literature in the field, but should serve as a practical ready reference. Suggestions for further reading have been included at the end of each of the short, focused chapters.