Obesity Surgery Editorial
As every reader of Obesity Surgery is aware, obesity is now a worldwide health problem. Dr. Deitel used the term “globesity” to emphasize the international nature of this crisis. Today, it is not uncommon for physicians in every medical discipline to be involved in the care for patients with extreme obesity.
In response to the increasing numbers and types of bariatric surgical procedures being performed, a special IFSO committee, the International Committee for Anesthesia in Morbid Obesity, was organized in 2003. Its goal is to provide guidelines for improved anesthetic care for bariatric procedures.
However, with obesity rates in excess of 30% in many countries, more obese and morbidly obese patients are undergoing non-bariatric operations. These include procedures for medical conditions associated with obesity such as joint replacement surgery, cholecystectomy, cancer surgery, and relief of obstructive sleep apnea, as well as surgical procedures for problems unrelated to obesity. Patients with extreme obesity present special challenges, not only to their anesthesiologist, but to all other physicians and health care professionals involved with their care.
A group of anesthesiologists and internists met at the American Society of Anesthesiologists Annual Meeting in Las Vegas in October 2004 to consider these challenges. The need for a society dedicated to the pre-operative, intra-operative and post-operative care of the obese surgical patient was recognized and the International Society for the Perioperative Care of the Obese Patient (ISPCOP) was formed. The organization’s mission statement is “to promote excellence in clinical management, research and education in the perioperative care of the obese patient.” Officers were elected, bylaws were proposed, and a web site was created.
We believe that ISPCOP will be a valuable resource for physicians, psychologists, nurses, respiratory therapists, and any other health care provider with an interest in clinical management and/or in research involving the obese surgical patient. ISPCOP offers a forum for discussion of common and unique problems encountered with these patients. Collaborative studies are planned involving individuals from different institutions. Experts in many fields are available through a web site for consultation on questions involving all areas of management of obese patients.
All health care professionals are encouraged to join ISPCOP. For more information please visit our website address at www.anest.ufl.edu/ispcop.
Jay B. Brodsky, M.D.
Stanford, California
Adrian
Alvarez, M.D.
Buenos Aires,
Argentina
