Obesity may complicate surgery in children
January 30, 2007
NEW YORK - A new study suggests that nearly
one-third of children undergoing surgery are overweight or
obese,
placing them at increased risk of experiencing complications
associated with the surgery.
The obese child as being a high-risk surgical
candidate and therefore deserves extra vigilance," Dr.
Olubukola O. Nafiu from University of Michigan Medical Center,
Ann Arbor, told Reuters Health.
"Obviously, primary prevention of obesity
will be the answer," Nafiu said.
Nafiu and colleagues looked at all 6,017
children who had surgery at the U-M Hospital between found
that 31.5 percent were overweight or obese, with 10 percent
classified as obese and 4.5 percent classified as morbidly
obese.
Based on age- and gender-specific definitions,
14.4 percent of children were overweight and 17.2 percent
were obese,
the results, published in the Journal of the National Medical
Association, indicate.
On the contrary, it's been shown that certain
surgical complications are more common in obese individuals
compared to normal-weight individuals, Nafiu said.
Obese children may have
more breathing difficulties; a higher risk of post-surgery
upper airway obstruction; and may require more anti-nausea
medication. Obese adults are also known to be at increased
risk for surgical complications.
Source from:
http://news.yahoo.com
|
