Recommended Equipment for Care of the Obese Patient (584)

A guideline is intended to assist healthcare professionals in the choice of disease-specific treatments.

Clinical judgement should be exercised on the applicability of any guideline, influenced by individual patient characteristics. Clinicians should be mindful of the potential for harmful polypharmacy and increased susceptibility to adverse drug reactions in patients with multiple morbidities or frailty.

If, after discussion with the patient or carer, there are good reasons for not following a guideline, it is good practice to record these and communicate them to others involved in the care of the patient.

Equipment

Each clinical theatre area should have access to the following:

• Bariatric operating table. These should be able to incorporate arm boards, table extensions, attachments for positioning such as leg supports for the lithotomy position, shoulder and foot supports

• Gel padding and padding for pressure points

• Wide Velcro strapping to secure the patient to the operating table

• Raised step for the anaesthetist

• Large BP cuffs

• Readily available difficult airway equipment

• Hover mattress or equivalent (Access to numerous staff may be required for positioning and transfer)

• Invasive monitoring and associated equipment

• Long spinal and epidural needles

• Ramping device / pillows

• Ventilators capable of PEEP and pressure control modalities

• Calf compression devices

• Temperature monitoring

• Neuromuscular block monitoring.