The world is experiencing an obesity epidemic. In both industrialized and emerging countries, the percentage of adults and children with obesity is increasing annually. It is no longer unusual to encounter a patient with extreme or morbid obesity in the operating room; these patients are routinely scheduled for every type of surgical procedure. Everyone involved in the peri-operative management of the surgical patient with morbid obesity surgeons, anesthesiologists, internists, psychologists, nurses, nutritionists, respiratory therapists must be aware of the special needs of these patients....