Giving up smoking before surgery has been recommended by experts, who say quitting even just a day or two before the procedure can be beneficial, because of the heightened risk of anaesthesia-related problems like wound infections, pneumonia and heart attacks.
According to the American Society of Anaesthesiologists, research has demonstrated that people who stopped smoking one month before their operation had no more issues than non-smokers, reports News24.
Surgery restricts blood flow, which makes healing less efficient and increases the risk of infection in surgical wounds, the society said, and smokers are considerably more prone to complications associated with surgery than non-smokers.
“If you smoke, your heart and lungs don’t work as well as they should, and you may have breathing and lung problems during or after surgery. You are also much more likely to need a ventilator after surgery. Plus, your surgical incision is more likely to get infected because smoking reduces blood flow, which slows healing.”
Very soon after quitting, the body can create more oxygen, which helps blood flow and facilitates healing. Additionally, the body’s ability to fight off bacterial infections is enhanced three to six weeks after quitting.
“If you’re having surgery, physician anesthesiologists recommend you quit smoking as soon as possible beforehand – preferably a week or more before –and for as long as possible afterward,” said the society.
The risk of complications after surgery for smokers include:
• Healing of wounds that are not progressing as expected.
• It may take longer for bones to heal in orthopaedic surgery cases involving the bones or joints.
• Plastic surgery: higher chance of scarring.
• There is an increased risk of infection and bone fracture with spinal fusion surgery.
• Non-smokers have been found to experience lower pain and better functioning after surgery than smokers.
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See more from MedicalBrief archives:
‘Prehab’ before surgery improves care, reduces costs
Heavier smoking linked to skyrocketing health risks
First US guidelines for combination of cannabis and anaesthesia