Smoking increases risk of complications after surgery

TRACKING_____Researchers have found that tobacco smokers were at significantly higher risk than non-smokers, for postsurgical complications.

According to a study findings, which was based on a new evidence brief in the World Health Organisation (WHO) Tobacco Knowledge Summaries series, postsurgical complications tobacco smokers risk include impaired heart and lung function, infections and delayed or impaired wound healing.

Previous studies have shown that smoking causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Smoking also increases risk for tuberculosis (TB), certain eye diseases, and problems of the immune system, including rheumatoid arthritis.

In the current study, the researchers said new evidence demonstrated that smokers who quit around four weeks or more before surgery have a reduced risk of complications and achieve better results six months afterwards.

Similarly, patients who quit smoking tobacco were also less likely to experience complications with anaesthesia than regular smokers.

The WHO consequently recommended that countries include cessation programmes and educational campaigns in their health systems to spread awareness and help people to quit smoking.

The team further added that surgeons, anaesthesiologists, nurses, and health practitioners involved in non-emergency surgery should be working together to encourage patients to try to give up tobacco use before any surgery.

Approximately one in 25 individuals (representing between 187 and 280 million cases globally) undergo major surgery annually for the treatment of disease, injury or illness and complications from surgery such as surgical site infections and respiratory and cardiopulmonary events represent a substantial burden for both patients and health care systems.

In addition, the world body called for improvement in routinely recording patients’ tobacco use status and tobacco dependence treatment in medical records, considering that strong smoking cessation services save lives, improve health and benefit economies.