Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2014, 4, 612-616 Published Online July 2014 in SciRes. http://www.scirp.org/journal/ojog http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ojog.2014.410084 How to cite this paper: Batish, A. and Jaiyesimi, R.A.K. (2014) Risk Management of Obese Women Undergoing Major Gy- naecological Surgery. Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 4, 612-616. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ojog.2014.410084 Risk Management of Obese Women Undergoing Major Gynaecological Surgery Avni Batish 1 , Rotimi A. K. Jaiyesimi 2 1 Princes Royal University Hospital, Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK 2 Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals, Basildon, UK Email: a.batish@nhs.net Received 25 April 2014; revised 23 May 2014; accepted 18 June 2014 Copyright © 2014 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Abstract Obesity is a big problem which is growing. Thus clinicians and surgeons are likely to treat obese patients more frequently. Obesity can affect medical practice in a number of ways. In order to protect ourselves from potential litigation, we need to focus on risk management efforts on creat- ing a safe environment for patients of all sizes. The aim of our study was to review the risk man- agement strategies of obese women prior to surgery, perioperatively and following surgery. We then identified the strategies and have brought them forward in our article. Keywords Obesity, Risk Management, Anaesthetic Complications, Major Gynaecological Surgery 1. Introduction Obesity is defined as an excess of adipose tissue [1]. In 1997, the WHO attempted to standardise the definition of obesity as a BMI above 30 kg/m 2 [2]. Thus overweight is defined as BMI between 25 and 29.9. Class 1obesity is a BMI between 30 and 34.9, class 2 between 35 and 39.9 and class 3 a BMI above 40 [3]. The gener- al accepted definition of morbidly obese is a BMI greater than 40 [1]. Individuals with a BMI > 35 and comor- bidity should be managed as for those with a BMI > 40.4 [4] (Table 1). An estimated 30,000 deaths in the UK each year are attributable to obesity [6]. Mokdad et al. [7] found an almost doubling in incidence of obesity in women in the USA in a 10 year period from 1991-2001.The preva- lence of obesity is increasing and about one third of the population of the industrialised countries is at least 20% overweight [8]. Obesity is a known risk factor for development of endometrial cancer and with the increased prevalence of obesity we are likely to encounter an increased number of obese women with endometrial cancer [9]. Also we