Résumé
Obese patients admitted to an intensive care unit are at particularly high risk of atelectasis and pulmonary complications. To prevent and/or treat acute respiratory failure (ARF), noninvasive ventilation (NIV) and high-flow nasal-cannula oxygen (HFNC) have proven to be safe and efficient in this specific population. However, when invasive mechanical ventilation is needed after all, mask ventilation and intubation are more difficult in obese than in non-obese patients. Optimized preoxygenation in a semi-upright position using positive-pressure ventilation, followed by apneic oxygenation using HFNC in the more severe patients, associated with the use of videolaryngoscopes can help to reduce hypoxemia during intubation procedure.