Obesity and critical care in children

Clinical Nutrition Approaches to Medical Management of Children with Obesity and Critical Illnesses

“…The airway management of obese patients in PICUs is challenging; for example, obesity may increase the risk of airway intervention requirement, prolonged mechanical ventilation, and obstructive sleep apnea (1,(9)(10)(11). Additionally, excess adipose tissue may lead to difficult peripheral and central venous access.…”

“…Additionally, excess adipose tissue may lead to difficult peripheral and central venous access. Also, because of technical challenges and difficulties in alternative central venous access, catheters may be left longer, which increases the risk of catheter-related complications such as infections, thrombosis, and phlebitis (9). Obesity is an independent risk fac-tor for surgical outcomes and surgical-related morbidities in children.…”

“…Obesity-related diseases and complications and obesity-related challenges in common procedures in PI-CUs make it difficult to conduct the medical management of critically ill obese children and obese children are considered to be at a high risk of mortality and morbidity in PICUs (9,13,14). Obesity-related challenges in the management of obese children in PICUs are summarized in Figure 1.…”