Anaesthesia for adults undergoing non-bariatric surgery.

Obesity is a worldwide epidemic with increasing importance in both industrialised and developing countries. Anaesthesiologists will be increasingly challenged by the care for morbidly and super-obese patients. Prerequisites for an optimal perioperative care are a suitable and adapted environment both on the ward and in the operating theatre, the timely and comprehensive preoperative evaluation focussed on co-morbidities, such as diabetes, coronary artery disease and obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome and appropriate equipment for positioning, anaesthesia and surgery. To deliver an adequate standard of care, anaesthesiologists must consider the pharmacokinetic characteristics and pathophysiological sequelae of obesity. Careful preoxygenation, special positioning, adequate monitoring and adapted intra-operative ventilation are key issues for a successful perioperative care. While co-morbidities are frequent in the obese, overall morbidity and mortality up to a body mass index (BMI) < or = 40 kg m(-2) are not significantly increased compared with lean patients.