We all know that
smoking is an unhealthy lifestyle choice, but did you know that smoking can
significantly affect your surgical outcome? No matter the type of surgery
you’re planning to undergo – elective or otherwise – smoking will have adverse
effects on your body before and after treatment.
According to
associate professor of anesthesiology at the Cleveland Clinic, Alparslan Turan,
MD, smokers are 40% more likely to risk death within 30 days of their surgery. Plus,
the risk of contracting pneumonia was double for smokers than the risk for
nonsmokers.
During a 2010
American Society of Anesthesiologists meeting, Turan presented a comparative
study noting the difference between 82,000 smokers and nonsmokers. The patients
who smoked were more likely to experience the following health risks during
surgery:
- 57% more likely to have cardiac arrest
- 73% more likely to have a stroke
- 80% more likely to have a heart attack
Patients
considering surgery of any kind should be advised that continuing the habit
will compromise circulation and delay the healing process. Smoking can also
lead to scaring, skin loss or infection. The rate of post-surgery infection in
smokers is 12% while it is a mere 2% in non-smokers.
So, how does this
happen? Cigarettes produce carbon monoxide, a toxin which restricts the flow of
nutrient-rich blood to the body. It causes inflammation which can be so
restrictive it starves parts of the body. If serious enough, organs and limbs
can be permanently damaged.
Smokers who
continue their habit before cosmetic surgery run the risk of these
surgery-related complications:
- Blood Clots
- Heart Attack
- Death Post-Surgery
- Pneumonia
Patients who
undergo cosmetic surgery treatments also experience a slower recovery time with
the following procedures:
- Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery)
- Breast augmentation / reduction / lift
- Face lifts
- Rhinoplasty (a nose job)
- Tummy tuck
In addition, smokers
who receive anesthesia prior to surgery may not appreciate its full effects due
to the restrictions already placed on the blood vessels. They may also
experience sensitivities which affect the heart, lungs and nervous system.
After surgery, patients who smoke are likely to be put on mechanical
ventilation to prevent added complications.
Because of the
seriousness of these smoking-related issues, it’s important to notify your
surgeon and anesthesiologist if you smoke or have just quit prior to surgery.
Full disclosure will help you realize the best treatment for your surgical
needs.
Keep in mind that if
you were to quit smoking cigarettes – even briefly – you would enjoy immediate
results. Within 12 hours, a patient’s heart and lungs begin to function more
regularly. Nicotine and carbon monoxide levels decrease while blood flow
improves. The chance of wound complications is cut in half if a patient quits
smoking 4 to 6 weeks prior to surgery and maintains their smoke-free commitment
for 4 weeks after surgery.
If you are
considering cosmetic surgery, doctors recommend that you quit smoking for at
least 4 to 8 weeks prior to your procedure. Of course, they encourage patients
to quit smoking cigarettes as soon as possible. They are quick to point out
that studies have proven that smokers who quit at least one year prior to
cosmetic surgery share the same level of risks as nonsmokers. Plus, former
smokers are less likely to have long hospital stays and recovery times.
If you’re ready to
improve your life and surgical outcome, talk to your doctor. He or she can
provide options that will help you kick the habit and get your body in tip-top
condition for surgery and recovery.
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