Airway Assessment and Management of Obese Patients in Operation Room and PACU; A Narrative Review

Abstract

The most difficulties in airway management of obese individuals are due to obesity-associated anatomic and physiologic changes in airways and respiratory system. Anesthesiologists usually face some problems, such as quick oxygen desaturation, difficult mask ventilation, difficulty in laryngoscopy/intubation, and respiratory depression, following initiation of hypnotic anesthetic medications. Awareness of the physiologic and anatomic changes may help anesthesiologist in providing better preparation before tackling those difficulties. Preparative evaluation of airway in obese persons should include inspection of predictors of difficult mask ventilation and difficult intubation. Difficulties in airway management are reduced after giving ideal preoxygention and positioning using some strategies may lead to facilitate airway management of these patients and reduce some hazards in this field.

Keywords

• obesity
• airway assessment
• airway management