Article Text

Download PDFPDF
Anesthetic Management of a Massively Morbidly Obese Patient
  1. Jeffrey A. Friederich, M.D.,
  2. Theodore J. Heyneker, M.D. and
  3. Jeffrey M. Berman, M.D.
  1. Department of Anesthesia, The Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
  1. Reprint requests: Theodore J. Heyneker, M.D., Department of Anesthesia, Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1009.

Abstract

Background and Objectives. A 408-kg patient presented for surgical resection of a lower extremity mass.

Methods. A specially designed bed and well-planned transport were used to deliver the patient to the operating room suite. The anesthetic technique included a continuous subarachnoid catheter with tetracaine and epinephrine. Intraoperative monitoring consisted of electrocardiography, pulse oximetry, intraarterial blood pressure, and mental status examinations. Massive intraoperative hemorrhage was treated with rapid volume infusions and vasopressors.

Results. Resection of a lower extremity mass was accomplished and the patient was eventually discharged from the hospital.

Conclusions. This case report emphasizes that prior planning of all aspects of patient care is important in massively morbidly obese patients and that regional anesthesia is a valuable option in these patients.

  • anesthesia
  • regional anesthesia
  • morbid obesity

Statistics from Altmetric.com

Request Permissions

If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.