Obesity enquiry 2006

Press release 6 September 2006

Preventive care way forward for managing obesity epidemic but real difficulties for Anaesthetists in delivering heath care to patients

The New Zealand Society of Anaesthetists presented an oral submission to the Health Select Committee today on its Enquiry into Obesity and Type II Diabetes. In its submission the Society commented that while preventive solutions are the way forward for our community, in the immediate term health services are faced with managing this growing problem on a daily basis. Anaesthetists are required to assess and treat people more often who have complex health problems brought on by being very overweight.

Dr Graham Sharpe, President of the New Zealand Society of Anaesthetists says, “These patients pose us with real problems in terms of providing adequate theatre facilities and staffing, as well as managing their airway and postoperative care safely. Sometimes it takes two Anaesthetists just to manage the patient’s airway during what may be life saving surgery.

“Patients often present because they are acutely unwell but unless their weight is managed, other problems such as diabetes and heart conditions cannot be brought under control. Surgery can be an effective solution for these people but is only available in some areas of New Zealand.”

Often patients present for surgery after multiple other treatment options have been explored and because their health is so adversely affected. Anaesthetists are seeing morbidly obese patients present with circulatory problems and acute wound infections. One case study presented to the Committee followed the treatment of a person who was 276 kilos and required high levels of care for more than a month.

“We need to treat these people at an individual level so as to improve their quality of life and reduce the very real costs to the health system of multiple presentations, but at the same time work to introduce strategies that will benefit the nation’s children in the long-term,” stated Dr Sharpe.