Journal of Clinical Anesthesia
Volume 13, Issue 2 , Pages 144-156, March 2001

Obstructive sleep apnea in the adult obese patient: implications for airway management

  • Jonathan L Benumof, MD

      Affiliations

    • University of California San Diego Medical Center, Department of Anesthesiology, San Diego, CA 92103-8812, USA
    • Professor of Anesthesia
    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress correspondence to Dr. Jonathan L. Benumof, at the UCSD Medical Center, Department of Anesthesiology, 402 Dickinson Street (8812), San Diego, CA 92103-8812

Received 27 March 2000; received in revised form 10 January 2001; accepted 10 January 2001.

Abstract 

Obstructive sleep apnea in the adult obese patient may be due, in part, to an increased amount of pharyngeal tissue. Therefore, there is an increased risk of intubation and extubation difficulties and pain management can be expected to be complicated by opioid/sedative-induced pharyngeal collapse.

Keywords:  Awake intubation, awake extubation, body mass index, hypopnea, hypoventilation, pharynx, hypopharynx, laryngopharynx, oropharynx, velopharynx, polysomography, genioglossus, tensor palatini

 

PII: S0952-8180(01)00232-X

Journal of Clinical Anesthesia
Volume 13, Issue 2 , Pages 144-156, March 2001

Article Tools

* Image Usage & Resolution