by Stephanie B. Jones, MD; Jeffrey M. Ellenbogen, MD; and Daniel B. Jones, MD, FACS

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a medical condition that leads to significant morbidity and reduced quality of life.

INTRODUCTION

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a medical condition that leads to significant morbidity and reduced quality of life. Patients with OSA are particularly vulnerable to certain perioperative complications, and the incidence of OSA in the bariatric population may be as high as 77 percent.1 Therefore, the surgeon and bariatric team should routinely screen for OSA as part of the preoperative workup. In this article, we will provide a brief overview of OSA, focusing primarily on the challenges that face surgeons and anesthesiologists in handling these cases. By understanding this disorder, and how it is perturbed in the perioperative period, surgical outcomes may be considerably improved.

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