Sedation for GI Endoscopy in the Morbidly Obese: Challenges and Possible Solutions

Abstract

With the increasing prevalence of obesity and morbid obesity, this subgroup’s contribution to patients presenting for elective procedures requiring sedation is significant. Gastrointestinal (GI) procedures clearly form the largest group of such procedures. These procedures may be intended to treat obesity such as the insertion of an intragastric balloon or one or more unrelated procedures such as a screening colonoscopy and (or) diagnostic/therapeutic endoscopy. Regardless of the procedure, these patients pose significant challenges in terms of choice of sedatives, dosing, airway management, ventilation, and oxygenation. An understanding of dissimilarity in the handling of different groups of medications used by an anesthesia provider and alterations in airway anatomy is critical for providing safe sedation. Administration of sedative medications and conduct of anesthesia requires dose modifications and airway adjuncts. In this review, we discuss the above issues in detail, with a particular focus on GI endoscopy.