Smoking Cessation Before Surgery Doesn't Promote Postoperative Complications

Smokers are at elevated risk for postoperative complications (e.g., delayed wound healing, pulmonary complications, mortality) compared with nonsmokers. However, whether smoking cessation lowers risk for postoperative complications is unclear. Indeed, many clinicians believe that stopping smoking within a few weeks before surgery raises risk for postoperative pulmonary complications (by removing the cough-promoting effect of smoking). Two recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses clarify the effects of smoking cessation on risk for postoperative complications.

One review included six randomized trials (about 600 participants) in which researchers evaluated smoking cessation interventions (e.g., counseling, nicotine replacement, bupropion) …