The prevalence of morbid obesity is increasing worldwide. As the severity of obesity increases, the incidence of diagnosed obstructive sleep apnea also rises. Studies have shown an incidence of sleep apnea as high as 64% in patients with a body mass index (BMI) over 40 and 100% in patients with a BMI greater than 60. Patients with OSA have been shown to have significant desaturations under intravenous sedation due to airway narrowing and obstruction. Several studies have also shown that morbidly obese subjects, independent of a diagnosis of OSA, run a higher perioperative risk of adverse airway events, including hypoxia. Providing anesthesia for this patient population is challenging and requires careful titration of drugs and superb airway management skills.
The current standard of care for oxygen delivery in this setting is a Salter nasal cannula. Humidified high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygen therapy utilizes an air oxygen blend allowing from 21% to 100% FiO2 delivery and generates up to 60 L/min flow rates. The gas is heated (35 to 40 degree Celsius) and humidified through an active heated humidifier and delivered via a single limb heated inspiratory circuit (to avoid heat loss and condensation) to the subject through a large diameter nasal cannula. Theoretically, HFNC offers significant advantages in oxygenation and ventilation over conventional methods. Constant high flow oxygen delivery provides steady inspired oxygen fraction (FiO2) and decreases oxygen dilution. It also washes out physiologic dead space and generates positive end expiration pressure (PEEP) that augments ventilation.
Some studies have demonstrated a positive effect of HFNC on the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) showing that use of HFNC could decrease hypoxic episodes in subjects with repetitive upper airway obstruction such as obstructive sleep apnea. The STOP-BANG questionnaire (SB) has been used successfully to screen patients undergoing therapeutic endoscopic procedures at higher risk for sedation-related adverse events.
