RESUMO
This study was carried out on 15 adult females admitted with moderate to severe obesity and having ventral hernias with variable degrees of panniculus adiposus with body mass index [BMI] ranging between 28 - 35 kg/m 2. Patients were classified according to the abdominoplasty system of classification and treatment to fit types III and IV for surgery and according to the ASA I or II classification for anesthesia. The tightness of the repair was adjusted according to the airway pressure of the patient. An airway pressure of 3 - 7 cm water increase was allowed. Ellipses of dermolipic segments removed ranging between 7 - 12 kg. The lung volumes [VC, IC, ERV, TLC and FRC] showed significant decrease on the first and third postoperative day and returned to the preoperative values on seventh day. RV decreased only on the first postoperative day. Spirometric functions [FVC, FEV, PEFR, FIVC, FIFR and MVV] showed significant decrease all through, although showed gradual return to preoperative values. In the pattern of ventilation there was a significant increase in respiratory rate and a significant decrease in tidal volume. Blood gas changes showed that PaO2 showed significant decrease which was subclinical. SaO2 showed a significant decrease on the first postoperative day with no significant change on the 3rd and 7th days. PaCO2, pH and BE showed no significant changes