Successful anesthetic management of a morbidly obese patient with the induction of general anesthesia and the laryngeal mask airway insertion in the lateral position
Toraiwa, S.; Kobayashi, T.; Ii, T.
Masui. Japanese Journal of Anesthesiology 60(7): 853-855
2011
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-4892 PMID: 21800668 Document Number: 648746
A morbidly obese patient, with a body mass index of 43 kg m(-2), was scheduled to undergo open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) to his left fibular fracture under general anesthesia in the lateral position. Before the induction of general anesthesia the patient positioned himself comfortably in right lateral. General anesthesia was induced with intravenous propofol and remifentanil infusions. Mask ventilation was performed easily. After establishment of mask ventilation, laryngeal mask airway (LMA) was inserted smoothly and an adequate airway was established with a LMA. ORIF was finished uneventfully. The patient remained in the lateral position until the emergence from general anesthesia. As soon as he awoke, LMA was removed in the lateral position. The patient turned to the supine position himself and was discharged to general ward. We consider our method, the induction of general anesthesia and the LMA insertion in the lateral position, was a selectable option to a morbidly obese patient who underwent an operation in the lateral position.