In fact, evidence suggests smoking cessation lowers risk for complications.

Smokers are at elevated risk for postoperative complications (e.g., delayed wound healing, pulmonary complications, mortality) compared with nonsmokers. However, whether smoking cessation lowers risk for postoperative complications is unclear. Indeed, many clinicians believe that stopping smoking within a few weeks before surgery raises risk for postoperative pulmonary complications (by removing the cough-promoting effect of smoking). Two recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses clarify the effects of smoking cessation on risk for postoperative complications.

One review included six randomized trials (about 600 participants) in which researchers evaluated smoking cessation interventions (e.g., counseling, nicotine replacement, bupropion) and 15 observational studies (about 13,000 participants) in which current versus past smokers were compared. The studies involved surgical procedures at various body sites. In a meta-analysis of randomized trial data, smoking cessation resulted in a 41% relative reduction in total postoperative complications. Each week of smoking cessation significantly increased treatment effect, and trials of 4 weeks’ duration had greater effect than shorter trials. The observational study data revealed similar findings as well as lower risk for specific postoperative complications (wound healing and pulmonary complications).

The other review included nine studies (about 900 participants) in which researchers compared postoperative complications in patients who stopped smoking 8 weeks before surgery (recent quitters) with patients who continued to smoke. Stopping smoking 8 weeks before surgery was not associated with more or fewer total and pulmonary postoperative complications.

Comment: The results of these studies confirm that smoking cessation before surgery does not raise risk for postoperative complications. Furthermore, stopping smoking before surgery might lower risk for postoperative complications, and the benefit probably grows with longer duration of smoking cessation. Smokers should be encouraged to stop smoking — and be offered appropriate treatment — before surgery.

Source:Journal Watch General Medicine