Is there a weight limit for anesthesia?

There is no weight limit for surgery, per se. If one needs life-saving surgery, surgery will be done independently of a patient’s weight. However, being obese or morbidly obese increases the risk for complications from anesthesia and surgery alike, especially in an emergent situation.

What BMI is too high for anesthesia?

There can be a higher risk of surgical and anaesthetic complications if you have a BMI over 30. If you lose even 5 to 10% of your weight, this could reduce some of the risks associated with anaesthesia.

Why is surgery risky for obese people?

Obese patients who undergo surgery are at greater risk for surgical site infection and slower healing because of reduced blood flow in fat tissue. In addition, many obese patients have diabetes, which also increases the risk of post-surgical infections.

Do Heavier people need more anesthesia?

Size does matter. The Food and Drug Administration has been remiss in approving adult dosing recommendations scaled to weight without adequate scientific evidence that the pharmacokinetics are weight proportional. Fortunately, anesthesiologists reduce doses in obese persons based on experience and intuition alone.

Does general anesthesia depend on weight?

Abundant research has demonstrated the relationship between age and anesthetic effect. Youthful patients require more milligrams-per-kilogram of body weight. A teenager may require twice the dose of an 80-year-old patient. How stimulating the surgery is, and how much pain there will be postoperatively.

Can you get surgery if you’re obese?

Bariatric surgery isn’t for everyone who is overweight or even obese. Before you can qualify for surgical weight loss, you must have health conditions related to your obesity. For example, you must also have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, or high blood pressure.

Is Propofol safe for obese patients?

Background: Propofol is a lipophilic medication shown in pharmacokinetic studies to accumulate over time and potentially cause over sedation in obese patients when dosing is based on total body weight.

Does size matter anesthesiology?

How do anesthesiologist know how much to give you?

Among the things the anesthesiologist measures or observes, and uses to guide the type and amount of anesthetic given are: heart rate and rhythm, blood pressure, breathing rate or pattern, oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, and exhaled anesthetic concentration.