World Health Organization issues new warning for smokers undergoing surgery

Smoking and surgery don’t go well together. A report released this week by the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) confirms just how damaging the combination can be.

The joint study, conducted by W.H.O., the University of Newcastle, Australia and the World Federation of Societies of Anesthesiologists (WFSA), revealed that smokers who quit approximately four weeks or more before surgery had a lower risk of complication and better results six months post-procedure.

Why smokers should quit at least four weeks before surgery

The researchers found, through a review of more than 100 studies on the subject, that every tobacco-free week after four weeks improves health outcomes by 19%, due to improved blood flow throughout the body to essential organs.

Smokers who didn’t adhere to these guidelines, however, were at a higher risk for complications, including impaired heart and lung functions, infections, and delayed or impaired wound healing.

“The report provides evidence that there are advantages to postponing minor or non-emergency surgery to give patients the opportunity to quit smoking, resulting in a better health outcome,” said Dr. Vinayak Prasad, Head of Unit, No Tobacco, W.H.O.

What if you didn’t quit smoking before the surgery?

As the study suggests, quitting smoking before surgery is a vital step toward a smoother, safer, and quicker recovery. If you don’t follow this suggestion, your body will struggle to heal, you’ll be more likely to develop complications like infections, and your recovery time could be longer and rougher than if you had quit smoking.

According to the American Society of Anaesthesiologists, smoking leads to breathing difficulties during and after surgery, and a higher risk of pneumonia as well as heart attacks, as it is a significant contributor to heart disease. Smokers are also more likely to require a ventilator post-surgery.

Motivation to quell the addiction

Glaringly, one section of the report reads that smoking just one cigarette impedes the body’s ability to deliver crucial nutrients for healing post-surgery. This is supported by prior research that has found double the rate of complications in smokers post-surgery when compared to non-smokers.

The researchers hope that their findings will encourage smokers (of which there are more than a billion globally) to kick the habit both temporarily and permanently. However, they are aware that quitting often isn’t an easy sell.

Dr. Amy Anne Lassig, a head and neck cancer surgeon at Hennepin Healthcare in Minnesota, told The New York Times that about half of her patients continue smoking even after their cancer diagnosis. “Some are able to quit cold turkey but for other patients, it’s such a stressful moment in their life that many feel hopeless, go in the other direction and keep smoking,” Lassig said.

Despite being really tough, quitting is possible. And the benefits are unparalleled: decreased risk of heart-related complications after surgery, better air flow to the lungs, and decreased risk of infection to the wound site are just a few of the reasons smokers should kick the addiction.

And with the right support and quit plan, anyone can put an end to their addiction.

So, if you’ve got surgery coming up, do yourself a favor and kick that smoking habit to the curb. Your body will thank you for it.

Article updated on April 29, 2024.