{"id":116474,"date":"2023-07-17T14:03:50","date_gmt":"2023-07-17T14:03:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.laserostop.sa\/why-smoking-before-or-after-surgery-is-a-bad-idea\/"},"modified":"2023-11-20T12:18:39","modified_gmt":"2023-11-20T12:18:39","slug":"why-smoking-before-or-after-surgery-is-a-bad-idea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.laserostop.sa\/en\/why-smoking-before-or-after-surgery-is-a-bad-idea\/","title":{"rendered":"Why smoking before or after surgery is a bad idea?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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The harmful effects of smoking during surgery<\/h2>\n

Increased risks for smokers<\/h3>\n

Chronic smoking, especially if the last cigarette was recently smoked, increases the risk of complications for smokers undergoing surgery. Whether during or after the event. In fact, smoking alters the body’s normal inflammatory response, which is supposed to promote healing, scarring and infection prevention. The most common problems encountered by smokers undergoing surgery include :<\/p>\n

    \n
  • coagulation disorders: increased bleeding, greater likelihood of hemorrhage or, on the contrary, greater risk of thrombosis or embolism;<\/li>\n
  • greater chance of developing a postoperative infection;<\/li>\n
  • difficulties in healing surgical wounds.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    The result: a higher rate of hospital readmission among smokers than among non-smokers.<\/p>\n

    Delayed wound healing<\/h3>\n

    The many toxic substances present in cigarette smoke have a direct impact on blood circulation. As a result, the tissues receive less oxygen than they should, resulting in delayed healing of the incisions made during surgery. At the same time, smoking impairs the cellular regeneration of skin tissue. In particular, it affects the production of collagen, an essential protein for tissue repair, since it is this protein that gives tissues their strength.<\/p>\n

    Greater risk of post-operative infections<\/h3>\n

    Studies show that smoking has a detrimental effect on the immune system. Already weakened by the surgery itself, and possibly by the causes that made it necessary, the body is particularly vulnerable to infection in the post-operative period. And if immunity is lacking, bacteria, viruses and other pathogens find it easier to proliferate and cause problems. Smokers who are more exposed to this risk because of their tobacco consumption are more susceptible to infections, whether they affect the surgical site or another area of the body.<\/p>\n

    Increased risk of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism<\/h3>\n

    Regardless of smoking status, surgery is always a potential source of thromboembolic complications. In other words, disorders affecting blood circulation. In smokers, blood circulation is heavily influenced by tobacco consumption.<\/p>\n

    When you smoke, blood circulates more slowly, leading to stagnation in the veins and the formation of blood clots. When these become lodged in deep veins, they can lead to phlebitis, or migrate to the lungs, where they can cause a pulmonary embolism. In the most severe cases, they can cause a heart attack if they travel to the heart, or a stroke if they lodge in the brain. We need to be particularly vigilant in the face of these serious and sometimes fatal phenomena.<\/p>\n

    The influence of smoking on the respiratory system<\/h3>\n

    In addition to the increased risk of infection following surgery, the respiratory system is also put at risk. In general anesthesia, the patient is intubated and mechanically ventilated to maintain oxygen supply to the brain and organs. Although this technique is perfectly mastered, it is still traumatic for the respiratory tract.<\/p>\n

    Smokers are more likely than non-smokers to develop pulmonary complications. Irritating and depositing numerous chemical substances within the alveoli of the lungs, tobacco alters the efficiency of natural breathing. Smokers who undergo surgery have a higher risk of developing :<\/p>\n

      \n
    • respiratory distress;<\/li>\n
    • bronchitis;<\/li>\n
    • postoperative pneumonia;<\/li>\n
    • aggravated asthma.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Quitting smoking before an operation: the right thing to do for your health<\/h2>\n

      Reduced surgical complications<\/h3>\n

      By stopping smoking before surgery, you considerably reduce the risk of experiencing or aggravating surgical complications. If you start early enough, your immunity, blood circulation and healing capacity will be back to those of a non-smoker for the big day. Your recovery will be that much better and, of course, faster.<\/p>\n

      In this way, you reduce your risk of pulmonary complications such as bronchitis or embolism. You also reduce the likelihood of thromboembolism or post-operative infection, which could lengthen your hospital stay and your recovery time.<\/p>\n

      Reduced anesthesia-related risks<\/h3>\n

      Certain risks during surgery are linked to the way the body reacts to anesthesia. Some smokers may need higher doses of anesthetic to fall asleep. Complications are then linked to these higher quantities, and recovery time after surgery is also longer. By quitting smoking, you improve your body’s sensitivity to anesthesia, thus avoiding unnecessary overdosing.<\/p>\n

      Reduced stress linked to tobacco deprivation<\/h3>\n

      Whether you decide to stop smoking in preparation for the operation or continue to smoke, the medical team in charge of you will strictly forbid you to smoke before the general anaesthetic. In fact, from a global point of view, it is not advisable to do so in the hours leading up to surgery. This ban, which is often difficult for smokers to live with, adds a little more stress to a situation in which you may already be worrying enough. By choosing to stop smoking yourself before the operation, you also eliminate this inconvenience.<\/p>\n

      Other health benefits<\/h3>\n

      In any case, outside the context of surgery, quitting smoking is always a source of health benefits. This makes it possible to :<\/p>\n

        \n
      • reduce the risk of cardiovascular disorders;<\/li>\n
      • improve blood circulation ;<\/li>\n
      • restore respiratory system efficiency;<\/li>\n
      • reduce the risk of cancer;<\/li>\n
      • regain beautiful skin and healthy hair;<\/li>\n
      • restore your sense of taste and smell;<\/li>\n
      • better oral health (also important in the event of surgery);<\/li>\n
      • protect those around you from the harmful effects of passive smoking.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Smoking after surgery is also not recommended!<\/h2>\n

        As you’ve probably gathered by now, smoking after an operation is not a good idea either, if you want to heal and recover quickly. Whether before or after surgery (and even during!), smoking reduces the supply of oxygen and essential nutrients to tissues. During the post-operative recovery phase, this intake is essential to promote wound healing. In short, continuing to use tobacco during the post-operative period is likely to delay your recovery considerably compared to that of a non-smoker.<\/p>\n

        At the same time, the increase in surgery-related complications continues in the days and weeks following surgery. Maintaining your cigarette consumption puts you at greater risk of :<\/p>\n

          \n
        • develop infections;<\/li>\n
        • present respiratory problems;<\/li>\n
        • pulmonary embolism or phlebitis;<\/li>\n
        • excessive bleeding;<\/li>\n
        • to learn about abnormalities in the healing of surgical wounds;<\/li>\n
        • stay in hospital longer than average.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          It is therefore essential, if you are successful, to refrain from smoking before and after the operation. If this sounds complicated, don’t hesitate to seek the help of a health professional or rely on proven smoking cessation methods.<\/p>\n

          Smoking cessation before surgery<\/h2>\n

          Draw up a smoking cessation plan<\/h3>\n

          If you are about to undergo surgery and would like to stop smoking :<\/p>\n

            \n
          • Consult your GP or an addictologist to assess your state of health and study the smoking cessation solutions available.<\/li>\n
          • Set a specific quit date, if possible several weeks or even months before the operation, to give your body time to acclimatize to its new life without tobacco.<\/li>\n
          • Identify the situations that trigger cravings and try to anticipate or avoid them when you can.<\/li>\n
          • Establish new daily routines to “break” your old smoking habits.<\/li>\n
          • Turn to solutions for managing stress and frustration: physical exercise, meditation, relaxation, yoga.<\/li>\n
          • Don’t hesitate to ask those around you for support, or take part in discussion groups with former smokers.<\/li>\n
          • Take the opportunity to adopt a healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet.<\/li>\n
          • Get some rest and adopt good sleep habits.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            Options for quitting smoking<\/h3>\n

            There are several ways to quit smoking:<\/p>\n

              \n
            • use of nicotine substitutes: gums, patches, tablets ;<\/li>\n
            • prescription drugs: Bupropion, Varenicline ;<\/li>\n
            • accompaniment by health professionals: addictologist, psychologist, pharmacist, etc. ;<\/li>\n
            • behavioral therapies, psychological support ;<\/li>\n
            • alternative medicine: acupuncture, hypnosis, reflexology, etc. ;<\/li>\n
            • laser smoking cessation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              Smoking cessation with laserOstop<\/h3>\n

              Smoking cessation with laserOstop is a non-drug approach that aims to reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings by using a gentle laser beam to stimulate specific points on the body. LaserOstop focuses on reflex points on the auricle.<\/p>\n

              As such, it incorporates the principles of acupuncture. This stimulation has the effect of reducing withdrawal symptoms by acting directly on the physical dependence on nicotine. In this way, it helps reduce cravings and relieve withdrawal. And it’s all completely painless, with no weight gain as is sometimes the case with other methods.<\/p>\n

              Smoking cessation with laserOstop is generally performed in a single one-hour session. The therapist applies the laser beam to specific points on the body, according to a precise protocol. This will act on both the desire to smoke and the urge to nibble. And in the event of a relapse within twelve months of the first session, you will be entitled to a second session free of charge.<\/p>\n

              Provided in specialized laserOstop centers, the laserOstop method can be used on its own or as a complementary approach to medical smoking cessation treatment. Ultra-effective, it has already helped tens of thousands of smokers say a definitive NO to cigarettes. Make an appointment today at one of the many laserOstop centers to stop smoking for surgery!<\/p>\n

              Tobacco and surgery in a nutshell<\/h2>\n

              If you are a smoker and have to undergo surgery, keep in mind that :<\/p>\n

                \n
              • Smoking increases the risk of potentially serious, even fatal, complications following surgery.<\/li>\n
              • Smoking cessation improves and accelerates recovery in the post-operative period.<\/li>\n
              • Wound healing is more effective in the absence of tobacco consumption.<\/li>\n
              • There are many ways to quit smoking before an operation.<\/li>\n
              • Maybe it’s time for you to join the non-smoking community!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                Tobacco has long been known for its harmful effects on the body and general health. Yet few people realize the harmful impact smoking can have when surgery is required. The source of increased risks of complications, delayed healing and other sometimes serious health problems, tobacco is generally the enemy of the surgeon… and his patient! Here’s why smoking before or after surgery is a bad idea.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":116475,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_analytify_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-116474","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-44"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.laserostop.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116474","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.laserostop.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.laserostop.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.laserostop.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.laserostop.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=116474"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.laserostop.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116474\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":117473,"href":"https:\/\/www.laserostop.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116474\/revisions\/117473"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.laserostop.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/116475"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.laserostop.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=116474"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.laserostop.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=116474"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.laserostop.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=116474"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}