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Obese Patients May Suffer More Anesthesia Complications: Presented at ASA By Mike Fillon ATLANTA, GA -- October 28, 2005 -- A new study shows that overweight or obese patients are at increased risk for perioperative morbidity due to potentially lethal airway and respiratory complications. Results of the study were presented here at the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) 2005 Annual Meeting in Atlanta on October 26th. In their retrospective study, researchers from the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, reviewed the records of 25,767 surgical patients at a major academic medical center. They compared the incidence of perioperative complications requiring prolonged hospital stay, additional procedures or other unintentional outcomes between patients of normal weight and those considered obese according to their body mass index. Of the subjects, 8670 had BMIs of 15 to 24.99 were classified as (Normal group); 8748 had BMIs of 25 to 29.99 (Overweight group); 4789 had BMIs of 30 to 34.99 (Moderately Obese group); 2,061 had BMIs of 35 to 39.99 (Obese group); 1499 subjects had BMIs of 40 or more (Morbidly Obese). Lead researcher, James M. Blum, MD, Resident Physician in Anesthesiology, said among the 380 patients with respiratory and other complications, a significant number were moderately to morbidly obese. The study also found a non-significant trend towards pneumothorax, cardiac ischemia and stroke/neurological events in these patients. The researchers found that in the Normal group, none failed intubation, two were reintubated in the operating room (OR), one had a dental injury, and two had airway obstructions. In the Overweight group, one failed intubation (P = .319), five had OR reintubation (P = .262), three had dental injuries (P = .322), and three had airway obstructions (P = .662). In the Moderately Obese group, three failed intubation (P = .02), seven had OR reintubation (P = .008), one had a dental injury (P = .670), and six had airway obstructions (P = .02). In the Obese group, two had failed intubation (P = .004), two had OR reintubation (P = .118), four had dental injuries (P = .001), and one had an airway obstruction (P = .534). In the Morbidly Obese group, two had failed intubation (P = .001), one had OR reintubation (P = .364), three had dental injuries (P = .001), and two had airway obstructions (P = .047). Dr. Blum said the increasing number of obese surgical patients represents an increased risk for perioperative morbidity due to airway and respiratory issues. He added that these patients may also be at increased risk for failed nerve blocks, pneumothorax, cardiac ischemia, and strokes/neurological events. "There is a definite need for these patients to be informed about their greater risk of complications from anesthesia," he said. "As more and more obese patients need surgery, additional studies about the correlation of weight and anesthesia are needed." [Presentation title: Risk of Quality Assurance Events in Obese Patients. Abstract A1173] E-mail this page to a friend or colleague! To print, use this version