Preoperative Assessment of a Patient Undergoing Bariatric Surgery.

ABSTRACT

Over the past few decades, obesity rates in the United States have risen drastically, and with this, there has been a rising demand for bariatric surgery. As such, anesthesiologists need to be familiar with the challenges presented by patients seeking bariatric surgery. Obesity causes pathophysiologic changes which may affect decision-making during the management of these patients. Patients seeking bariatric surgery also have a long, prescribed preoperative course that offers anesthesiologists the opportunity to be involved earlier during the pre-surgical evaluation and optimization process.