A 55-year-old woman with obesity (BMI 48) is admitted to ICU requiring intubation for hypoxaemic respiratory failure. The anaesthetic team prepares fo...

Question

A 55-year-old woman with obesity (BMI 48) is admitted to ICU requiring intubation for hypoxaemic respiratory failure. The anaesthetic team prepares for a potentially difficult airway. Which of the following pre-oxygenation strategies provides the best oxygen reserve in morbidly obese patients?

Accepted Answer

Head-up 25° positioning with HFNO at 60 L/min combined with tight-fitting face mask ventilation

Answer

Standard pre-oxygenation with 15 L/min via face mask for 3 minutes in the supine position

Answer

Bag-valve-mask ventilation with 100% O2 in the left lateral position

Answer

No pre-oxygenation is needed if rapid sequence induction is performed

Answer

Nasal cannulae at 4 L/min during the apnoeic period only

uk-fficm MCQ (SBA): Difficult Airway - Obesity

A 55-year-old woman with obesity (BMI 48) is admitted to ICU requiring intubation for hypoxaemic respiratory failure. The anaesthetic team prepares for a potentially difficult airway. Which of the following pre-oxygenation strategies provides the best oxygen reserve in morbidly obese patients?