Multidisciplinary care of the obese patient with chronic critical illness after surgery

The critically ill surgical patient who enters into a chronic phase of illness and subsequent recovery resembles the chronically critically ill medical patient. There are some differences, however, related to wound management and underlying surgical issues that led to intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Like medical patients with chronic critical illness (CCI), the surgical patient population has poor ICU, hospital, and extended care facility survival, and consumes a staggeringly disproportionate share of resources in each setting. This article will focus on special issues for the obese surgical patient with CCI.