Details on complications smokers have after surgery
A recent study from The Cleveland (OH) Clinic found increased incidence of adverse outcomes among smokers. The study was presented at the Anesthesia 2010 meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists.
The researchers evaluated 635,265 patients from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. There were more than 200 participating centers prospectively collecting data with standardized methods. The study compared 82,304 smokers with 82,304 non-smoking patients who had similar surgical procedures and similar preoperative risk factors using sophisticated statistical techniques.
Some of the increased incidence of adverse outcomes among smokers included:
Smokers were 40% more likely to develop major complications and die within 30 days of surgery.
Smokers had an increased risk for respiratory complications.
Pneumonia risk was doubled among smokers.
Smokers were 87% more likely to experience unplanned intubation.
Smokers were 53% more likely to require artificial mechanical ventilation that lasted more than 48 hours after surgery.
Smokers saw a significant increase in cardiovascular complications and were:
57% more likely to experience cardiac arrest;
80% more likely to have a heart attack;
73% more likely to have a stroke.
Surgical site complications also were higher among smokers. Smokers were:
30-42% more likely to have a surgical-site infection;
have a 30% increase in the risk for serious systemic infections such as sepsis.
A recent study from The Cleveland (OH) Clinic found increased incidence of adverse outcomes among smokers. The study was presented at the Anesthesia 2010 meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists.You have reached your article limit for the month. Subscribe now to access this article plus other member-only content.
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