Article

Postoperative complications after thoracic surgery in the morbidly obese patient.

University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
Anesthesiology Research and Practice 01/2011; 2011:865634. DOI:10.1155/2011/865634
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT Little has been recently published about specific postoperative complications following thoracic surgery in the morbidly obese patient. Greater numbers of patients who are obese, morbidly obese, or supermorbidly obese are undergoing surgical procedures. Postoperative complications after thoracic surgery in these patients that can lead to increased morbidity and mortality, prolonged hospital stay, and increased cost of care are considered. Complications include difficulties with mask ventilation and securing the airway, obstructive sleep apnea with risk of oversedation, pulmonary complications related to reduced total lung capacity, reduced functional residual capacity, and reduced vital capacity, risks of aspiration pneumonitis and ventilator-associated pneumonia, cardiomyopathies, and atrial fibrillation, inadequate diabetes management, positioning injuries, increased risk of venous thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism. The type of thoracic surgical procedure may also pose other problems to consider during the postoperative period. Obese patients undergoing thoracic surgery pose a challenge to those caring for them. Those working with these patients must understand how to recognize, prevent, and manage these postoperative complications.

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Keywords

aspiration pneumonitis
 
atrial fibrillation
 
functional residual capacity
 
inadequate diabetes management
 
mask ventilation
 
morbidly obese
 
morbidly obese patient
 
Obese patients undergoing thoracic surgery
 
Postoperative complications
 
postoperative period
 
problems
 
risks
 
specific postoperative complications
 
supermorbidly obese
 
thoracic surgery
 
thoracic surgical procedure
 
total lung capacity
 
venous thrombosis
 
ventilator-associated pneumonia
 
vital capacity