Review Article

Candidates for Bariatric Surgery: Morbidly Obese Patients with Pulmonary Dysfunction

Table 1

Respiratory complications of obesity.

Respiratory physiology
Chest wall and lung compliance
 ↑ Airway resistance
Respiratory muscle strength
 ↑ Work of breathing
 ↑ Ventilation perfusion mismatch
Gas exchange
Pulmonary function:
FEV1, FVC, TLC, ERV, FRC, and RV
 ↑ → FEV1/FVC ratio
MVV
 ↑ → DLCO

FEV1: forced expiratory volume in the first second; FVC: forced vital capacity; TLC: total lung capacity; FRC: functional residual capacity; ERV: expiratory reserve volume; RV: residual volume; MVV: maximal voluntary ventilation; DLCO: diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide.
↑: increased; : decreased; →: no change.