What is it about?
We present the case of a 27 y/o patient (245kg, BMI 85kg/m2) who originally presented to hospital with dyspnea and for whom inappropriate care lead to a severe wound, skin grafting and a 7-months long hospital stay.
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Why is it important?
The prevalence of severe obesity is increasing worldwide but caregivers are often challenged with the management of patients with extreme weight. This case illustrates some of those challenges. We raise important questions such as anticoagulation use and dosage, treatment of malnutrition, energy requirements calculations for which we lack specific guidelines adapted for patients with severe obesity. We also illustrate how the lack of adapted equipment and obesity related stigma can lead to very severe consequences
Perspectives
I believe this publication of this case can raise the awareness of the public and the scientific community to these more and more frequent and complex situations for patients with severe obesity. Hopefully, this will help in the process of decreasing obesity related stigma, increasing access to adapted medical equipment and initiate the constitution of specific guidelines
Pierre Bel Lassen
Universite Paris-Sorbonne
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: From dyspnea to skin grafting: the difficulties of managing a patient with extreme obesity, Obesity Facts, December 2022, Karger Publishers,
DOI: 10.1159/000527092.
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