Anesthetic considerations with anorexia nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is a chronic illness characterized by a severe loss of weight. It occurs in children and young adults and is seen more frequently in females. Some anorexic patients refuse to eat totally, while others may practice "binge eating." Patients who binge eat and employ postprandial purging are referred to as "bulimic." Anorexia nervosa and bulimia can produce multisystem abnormalities. Dysfunction of organ systems in anorexia is the result of self-induced vomiting, laxative abuse, and severe malnutrition. Diseases of the skeletal, gastrointestinal, pulmonary, endocrine, and cardiovascular systems may have an impact on the plan of anesthesia care. A thorough anesthetic interview and evaluation to assess the debilitation of each patient is essential so that appropriate preparation can be made for comprehensive anesthetic care. This paper focuses on the pathophysiology of anorexia nervosa, discusses a thorough preanesthetic assessment, and guides the appropriate anesthetic management of the anorexic patient. Anorexia bulimia is briefly mentioned, since it is an eating disorder with physiological derangements similar to anorexia nervosa.