Rapid desaturation in the obese patient
Educational use only. Not clinically reviewed54-year-old man for Laparoscopic cholecystectomy. About 10 simulated minutes.
What you will practise
- Preoxygenate properly, because this patient gives you almost no margin.
- Secure the airway, or go back to the mask, before the saturation falls.
- Limit laryngoscopy attempts, and change something between them.
- Wait for the effect site rather than the syringe.
Review and sources
Not clinically reviewed. No clinician has signed this scenario.
- Benumof JL, Dagg R, Benumof R. Anesthesiology 1997;87:979-82 (PMID 9357902)
- 2022 ASA Practice Guidelines for Management of the Difficult Airway (PMID 34762729)
- ASA Standards for Basic Anesthetic Monitoring
Open Sim Lab is an educational simulator, not for clinical use. It is not a clinical decision-support tool, not a dosing calculator, and is not validated for any decision affecting a real patient.