Skip Navigation



BJA Advance Access published online on September 2, 2005
British Journal of Anaesthesia, doi:10.1093/bja/aei231
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
95/5/706    most recent
aei231v1
Right arrow E-Letters: Submit a response to the article
Right arrow E-letters: View responses
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Altermatt, F. R.
Right arrow Articles by Cortínez, L. I.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Altermatt, F. R.
Right arrow Articles by Cortínez, L. I.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© The Board of Management and Trustees of the British Journal of Anaesthesia 2005. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journal.permissions@oxfordjournals.org
Accepted August 1, 2005

Clinical Investigation

Pre-oxygenation in the obese patient: effects of position on tolerance to apnoea

F. R. Altermatt 1*, H. R. Muñoz 1, A. E. Delfino 1, and L. I. Cortínez 1

1 Departamento de Anestesiología, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Chile

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
F. R. Altermatt, E-mail: falterma{at}med.puc.cl


  Abstract

Background. In obese patients, reduced functional residual capacity exacerbated by supine position might decrease the effectiveness of pre-oxygenation and the tolerance to apnoea. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of body posture during pre-oxygenation, sitting or supine, on its effectiveness in obese patients.

Methods. Forty obese patients (BMI ≥35 kg m-2) undergoing surgery with general anaesthesia were randomly assigned to one of two groups: Group 1 (sitting, n=20) or Group 2 (supine, n=20). In the predetermined body position, pre-oxygenation was achieved with eight deep breaths within 60 s and an oxygen flow of 10 litre min-1. After rapid sequence induction of anaesthesia in decubitus position, the trachea was intubated and the patient was left apneic and disconnected from the anaesthesia circuit until SpO2 decreased to 90%. The time taken for desaturation to 90% from the end of induction of anaesthesia was recorded. Arterial blood oxygen tension was measured before (baseline) and after pre-oxygenation. Values were compared with two-way ANOVA and unpaired Student's t-test.

Results. Oxygen and carbon dioxide tensions were similar between groups, both at baseline and after pre-oxygenation. However, the mean time to desaturation to 90% was significantly longer in the sitting group compared with the supine group [mean (SD): 214 (28) vs 162 (38) s, P<0.05].

Conclusions. Pre-oxygenation in sitting position significantly extends the tolerance to apnoea in obese patients when compared with the supine position.

Keywords: anaesthetic techniques, pre-oxygenation; complications, obesity; position, effects.
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Emerg. Med. J.Home page
For questions on page 394
Emerg. Med. J., June 1, 2009; 26(6): 465 - 465.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Anesth. Analg.Home page
J.-M. Delay, M. Sebbane, B. Jung, D. Nocca, D. Verzilli, Y. Pouzeratte, M. E. Kamel, J.-M. Fabre, J.-J. Eledjam, and S. Jaber
The Effectiveness of Noninvasive Positive Pressure Ventilation to Enhance Preoxygenation in Morbidly Obese Patients: A Randomized Controlled Study
Anesth. Analg., November 1, 2008; 107(5): 1707 - 1713.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Br J AnaesthHome page
Y. A. Zausig, Y. Bayer, N. Hacke, B. Sinner, W. Zink, C. Grube, and B. M. Graf
Simulation as an additional tool for investigating the performance of standard operating procedures in anaesthesia
Br. J. Anaesth., November 1, 2007; 99(5): 673 - 678.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

E-letters:

Read all E-letters

Pre-oxygenation in obese patients
Sunil Kannanparambil
British Journal of Anaesthesia, 21 Oct 2005 [Full text]
Re: Pre-oxygenation in obese patients
Marcelo Sperandio Ramos
British Journal of Anaesthesia, 9 Nov 2005 [Full text]
Optimum Positioning for Preoxygenation: Offer the Benefits to All
David I Saunders
British Journal of Anaesthesia, 30 Nov 2005 [Full text]

Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.