Postoperative considerations for patients with obesity and sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea and obesity are prevalent and often coexisting conditions that challenge medical, anesthetic, and surgical treatment. It is essential to possess knowledge of the magnitude of the sleep disorder as well as concomitant medical comorbidities. Management of obese patients requires a thorough preoperative evaluation and appraisal of anesthetic and operative risks. Postoperatively, these patients can present an additional challenge.