Chapter 20: Airway Management of a Morbidly Obese Patient Suffering from a Cardiac Arrest

Chapter 20. Airway Management of a Morbidly Obese Patient Suffering from a Cardiac Arrest

Which of the following is NOT true about airway management in obese patients?

A. The presence of morbid obesity is a predictor for difficult mask ventilation.

B. Jaw thrust has been shown to be less effective in the obese patients.

C. Airway obstruction under anesthesia in obese patients even with the application of a jaw thrust is due to a decrease in the anterior-posterior dimension of the velopharynx (nasopharynx).

D. Precipitous oxygenation desaturation usually occurs shortly following the induction and paralysis of obese patients.

E. Based on weight alone, morbidly obese patients do not pose a risk for difficult intubation.

(C) All the statement about airway management in obese patients are true except that airway obstruction under anesthesia in these obese patients even with the application of a jaw thrust is due to a decrease in the lateral plane and not the anterior-posterior dimension of the velopharynx (nasopharynx).

Which of the following is NOT true of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)?

A. The majority of patients with OSA are obese.

B. Larger neck circumference has been associated with increased severity of obstructive sleep apnea.

C. The presence of snoring may be the only indicator of OSA in the general population.

D. In patients with OSA, airway patency is disturbed by relaxation of pharyngeal dilator muscles during sleep.

E. The snoring/obstruction/apnea cycle of OSA can be exacerbated by sedative and opioid medications including alcohol.

(A) All of the listed statement about obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are true, except that the majority of patients with OSA are not obese.

Which of the following airway techniques is NOT known to be difficult in obese patients?

A. Bag-mask-ventilation

B. Surgical airway

C. Light-guided intubation using a lightwand

D. Laryngoscopic intubation is obese patients with thick necks

E. Ventilation using a LMA

(E) All the listed airway techniques are known to be difficult in obese patients with the exception of ventilation using an LMA.