Dr Marco Meijer, head anaesthetist at Whanganui DHB will promoting the Fit For Surgery, Fit For Life programme as part of National Anaesthesia Day. Photo / File
Dr Marco Meijer, head anaesthetist at Whanganui DHB will promoting the Fit For Surgery, Fit For Life programme as part of National Anaesthesia Day. Photo / File
When a patient died two days after surgery, Whanganui anaesthetist Marco Meijer made it his mission to try and prevent it happening to anyone else.
Whanganui Hospital staff will be promoting the benefits of being in good physical shape before having surgery as part of National Anaesthesia Day.
The award-winning Fit For Surgery, Fit For Life programme is the brainchild of Meijer, head of the anaesthetics departments at Whanganui Hospital, who was prompted to create it after having an obese patient die after surgery a few years ago.
"I had a patient whom I anaesthetised, who died in the ward two days after surgery, and that really made me decide deep down, we really need to do something about this problem."
He then saw the data on how difficult overweight people were finding the procedure during and post-operation.
"If your body mass index is above 40, the risks accumulate with complications and technical issues," Meijer said.
Complications during surgery can include needing different tables and equipment for, particularly heavy people, finding a vein to insert an IV line to administer anaesthetic, thick necks affecting airways, heart and lung problems that can impact breathing under anaesthetic and sleep apnoea that can cause people to stop breathing while asleep.
"In surgery, there can be difficulties getting through layers of fat, which means the patient is in surgery longer, which is an added risk while being overweight is associated with diabetes, which makes wound infections more likely, and overweight patients are more prone to blood clotting."
Meijer said it can be problematic to give pain medication post operation as it could affect breathing.
The programme has been developed with the help from patients, dieticians and Sport Whanganui.
Fit For Surgery, Fit For Life's Christine Taylor, project coordinator Felicity Spencer, Marco Meijer and Deb Byers with presenter Mary Bennett at the 2019 Health Awards. Photo / Supplied
Christine Taylor, a member of Sport Whanganui who is also a registered nurse and the programmes navigator, works one-on-one with patients.
"It is a wrap-around service specific to each individual. Every plan is different; every journey is different – there's no one-size-fits-all," Taylor said.
All areas of a person's life are looked at including their health, family, lifestyle and shopping habits.
"One patient found they had become more mobile, more active and that their pain had reduced to such an extent that they decided not to have surgery. Many others find that they are doing a lot more and suffering less pain and discomfort."
More than 80 people are involved in the programme, working to reduce their weight and create a healthier lifestyle.
Twenty-six people have reached their body mass index target and are ready for surgery.
Meijer is heartened by the success stories of those who have dramatically changed their lifestyles.
He will be joined by Taylor and other staff on October 16 to share inspiration and engage with people who are interested in the programme through public display in the main hospital entrance.
