The anesthetic management of obese patients presenting for neurosurgical procedures: A narrative review

Obesity is an increasingly prevalent comorbidity in the United States and throughout the world. As a consequence, an increasing number of obese patients present to the operating room for surgery with unique perioperative considerations. Anesthesiologists must be able to take safe, effective care of these patients. This narrative review discusses the anesthetic implications of obesity and offers methods for providers to care for obese patients undergoing neurosurgical procedures in the perioperative period. The review examines the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative issues that anesthesiologists encounter, as well as unique challenges that are addressed during the care of obese patients.