Durability of Smoking Cessation for Elective Lower Extremity Orthopaedic Surgery

CATEGORY: General Health INTRODUCTION/PURPOSE: Smoking tobacco is a risk factor for impaired wound healing, infection, delayed fracture healing, and prolonged hospital stay. Smoking cessation prior to surgery has shown a 40% relative risk reduction in total perioperative complications. The primary purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of preoperative smoking cessation on long-term smoking habits in patients undergoing elective lower extremity orthopaedic surgery. The secondary outcome is patient-reported effectiveness of smoking cessation method. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed by identifying all patients who were smokers that were required to quit and subsequently had a normal nicotine/cotinine serum test prior to lower extremity orthopaedic surgery. Attempts were made to contact all patients and administer a survey inquiring about demographics, medical history, smoking history, smoking cessation process, and current smoking status. RESULTS: Of 36 eligible patients, 23 completed the survey. Eleven patients identified as current non-smokers (48%) at the time of survey follow-up (mean follow-up 55 months with a range of 12 to 88 months). Of these 11, 82% said they were very likely to continue to refrain from smoking. Twelve patients identified as current smokers at the time of survey, over half of whom ceased smoking for at least three months perioperatively. The reasons for resuming smoking were “stress” (45%), ”falling back into the habit” (37%), and due to “friends who smoke” (18%). The majority of smoking patients (92%) decreased the number of cigarettes they smoked regularly. The most effective smoking cessation techniques were ”cold turkey”, “non-nicotine medication”, and ”trans-dermal nicotine patches”. CONCLUSION: Elective surgery offers a unique opportunity for smoking cessation. Of 23 patients required to quit smoking prior to surgery, 48% maintained smoking cessation at least one year postoperatively. Of the 12 patients who relapsed, 55% stated that they did not resume smoking until at least three months postoperatively, suggesting that this particular period may be an important time for intensified smoking cessation counseling.