Preoperative Smoking Cessation Research Articles

The impact of smoking on inguinal hernia repair outcomes: a meta-analysis of multivariable-adjusted studies.

While the detrimental effects of smoking on postoperative outcomes are recognized, the extent of its risk for inguinal hernia repair remains unclear. Our study aims to assess the influence of smoking on patients who undergo inguinal hernia repair. We systematically reviewed PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases. Our goal was to identify studies that compared postoperative outcomes in smoking and non-smoking patients after inguinal hernia repair, and which employed a multivariate analysis to reduce possible confounding factors. Outcomes were recurrence, postoperative complications, and surgical site infection. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed with the use of a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was examined with I2 statistics. This review was prospectively registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023445513). Our analysis encompassed 11 studies, involving a total of 577,901 patients. Of these, 77,226 (or 13.4%) identified as smokers, with males constituting 90% of the cohort. In terms of surgical approaches, 58% underwent laparoscopic procedures were most common at 58%, followed by open surgeries at 41%, and 1% used robotic techniques. All included studies had a low risk of bias. Smoking was associated with a higher incidence of hernia recurrence (OR 2.95; 95% CI 2.08 to 4.18; p < 0.001; I2 = 0%). No differences were found in postoperative complication (OR 1.15; 95% CI 1.00 to 1.32; p = 0.05; I2 = 56%) or surgical site infection (OR 2.94; 95% CI 0.80 to 10.88; p = 0.11; I2 = 79%). Smoking was associated with a three-fold increase in recurrence. Further studies are needed to evaluate the impact of preoperative smoking cessation on reducing recurrence.

Does smoking cessation affect postoperative healing following oral surgery among smokers? – a systematic review

BackgroundIt is well documented that smokers suffer increased risk of postoperative complications after medical surgery, for example delayed healing and increased risk of infection. It is also known that preoperative smoking cessation can reduce the risk of these complications. Because of this there are guidelines regarding preoperative smoking cessation in non-oral medical surgery. There are however no specific guidelines regarding oral surgical procedures, such as surgical extractions, dentoalveolar surgery, periodontal surgery, or dental implantation. Nevertheless, it is common that dentists and oral surgeons recommend smoking cessation pre to oral surgical procedures. The aim with this systematic review was to see if there are any evidence in the literature, supporting preoperative smoking cessation in oral surgical procedures.MethodsA systematic search of the electronic databases PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane was conducted to identify studies addressing the effect of preoperative smoking cessation in oral surgical procedures. Included publications were subjected to preidentified inclusion criterion. Six examiners performed the eligibility and quality assessment of relevant studies. Risk of bias was assessed using ROBINS-I and RoB 2. Certainty assessment was carried out using GRADE.ResultsThe initial search resulted in 2255 records, and after removal of 148 duplicates, 16 articles met an acceptable level of relevance. These were read in full text, whereof 12 articles were excluded, due to different intervention, outcome, or study design than stated in the review protocol. One study remained with moderate risk of bias and three were excluded due to high risk of bias.ConclusionThis systematic review could not determine the effect of smoking cessation pre to oral surgical procedures, in smokers. This indicates lack of knowledge in the effects of smoking cessation. We also conclude a lack of knowledge in how to design smoking cessation in the most effective way.

The Cost-Effectiveness of Smoking Cessation Programs for Prevention of Wound Complications Following Total Ankle Arthroplasty: A Break-Even Analysis.

Tobacco use significantly increases the rate of wound complications in patients undergoing total ankle arthroplasty (TAA). Preoperative optimization through smoking cessation programs significantly minimizes the rate of infection and improves wound healing in arthroplasty procedures. Despite its utility, minimal research has examined the cost-effectiveness of preoperative smoking cessation programs to reduce the need for extracapsular irrigation and debridement (I&D) due to wound complications following TAA. The cost of an I&D procedure was obtained from our institution's purchasing records. Baseline wound complication rates among tobacco users who have undergone TAA and smoking cessation program cost were obtained from literature. A break-even economic analysis was performed to determine the absolute risk reduction (ARR) to economically justify the implementation of preoperative smoking cessation programs. Different smoking cessation program and I&D costs were tested to account for variations in each factor. ARR was then used to calculate the number needed to treat (NNT) to prevent a single I&D while remaining cost-effective. Smoking cessation programs were determined to be economically justified if it prevents 1 I&D surgery out of 8 TAAs among tobacco users (ARR = 12.66%) in the early postoperative period (<30 days). ARR was the same at the literature high (27.3%) and weighted literature average (13.3%) complication rates when using the cost of I&D surgery at our institution ($1757.13) and the literature value for a smoking cessation program ($222.45). Cost-effectiveness was maintained with higher I&D surgery costs and lower costs of smoking cessation treatment. Our model's input data suggest that the routine use of smoking cessation programs among tobacco users undergoing TAA is cost-effective for risk reduction of I&D surgery in the early postoperative period. This intervention was also found to be economically warranted with higher I&D costs and lower smoking cessation program costs than those found in the literature and at our institution.Level of Evidence: Level III, economic and decision analysis.

Total hip arthroplasty for adult patients with hip arthritis in Jordan: clinical profiles and patient characteristics.

Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA) is one of the most commonly performed orthopaedic surgeries, with hip arthritis being the main indication. This procedure is usually performed when other non-surgical methods fail to relieve patients' hip pain and improve their quality of life. However, limited information exists to identify and compare the demographics and clinical characteristics of patients undergoing this procedure in Jordan. This study aims to identify these demographic and clinical characteristics and compare the findings in terms of gender differences. This is a retrospective study that analysed the hospital records of 650 patients undergoing THA in tertiary referral hospital in Jordan over a four-year period from January 2019 to December 2022. The collected data were classified into three categories: demographic characteristics, perioperative variables, and patients' related health profiles. IBM's Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23 software (IBM, USA) and descriptive analysis were used for data analysis. Two-thirds of the sample studied were female (63.4%). In terms of bleeding profiles, the mean intraoperative blood loss was 542 millilitres. The major indication for THA was degenerative hip arthritis (50.5%), followed by hip dysplasia (40.3%).. Comparing the findings of the two gender groups, females were more likely to have degenerative and dysplastic hip arthritis (221 and 157, p = 0.04 and p = 0.1, respectively) when compared to males. Although males were more likely to lose more blood during the surgery (557 ml vs. 533 ml, p = 0.33, females needed more blood transfusions both during (21 vs. 6 patients, p = 0.12) and after the surgery (57 vs. 16 patients, p = 0.006). Furthermore, females were more likely to have comorbidities such hypertension (293 vs. 179 patients, p = 0.20), and hypothyroidism (313 vs 187, p = 0.36), and diabetes (85 vs. 38 patients, p = 0.15), among many other health conditions. However, in the study sample, male smokers outnumbered female smokers (132 vs. 63). Gender highly impacted the immediate surgical outcomes of patients who underwent THA. Females were more likely to need blood transfusions both during and after the surgery and had lower post-operative haemoglobin readings. In addition, females had more comorbidities and degenerative hip osteoarthritis. We believe that raising awareness about comorbidity management, preoperative smoking cessation, and perioperative blood transfusion management can improve medical and surgical outcomes.

Enhanced recovery after surgery protocol improves postoperative pain and shortens length of stay among patients undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty

BackgroundEnhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) is a “fast-track”, perioperative, multi-disciplinary concept aimed at improving recovery time and reducing length of hospital stay. ObjectiveThis study aims to compare the postoperative outcomes of ERAS versus non-ERAS Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA), with the primary outcomes being day 0 pain score, days 1–2 range of motion (ROM), days 1–2 distance walked and hospital length of stay (LOS). MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for 111 consecutive patients who had undergone primary unilateral TKA from November 2019 to October 2020 at a single tertiary hospital by fellowship-trained arthroplasty surgeons. Three independent, blinded observers extracted patient data from our institution's Electronic Medical Records. The ERAS protocol included preoperative smoking and alcohol cessation, preoperative physiotherapy, intraoperative local infiltration analgesia using a drug cocktail, postoperative multimodal analgesia and postoperative day 0 physiotherapy, while any patient who deviated from any step were classified as non-ERAS. Two-sample t-tests, Wilcoxon rank-sum tests and Chi-squared tests were used to compare the outcome variables between ERAS and non-ERAS patients. ResultsPatients under the ERAS protocol (n = 67) reported a significantly lower postoperative day 0 pain score (p = .0480) and a shorter hospital LOS (p = .0189) than non-ERAS patients (n = 44). No significant difference (p > .05) was observed for ROM and distance walked on days 1–2. ConclusionOur study demonstrates that the ERAS protocol improves day 0 postoperative pain and shortens hospital LOS while being non-inferior for ROM and distance walked on days 1–2.

Association of active smoking on 30-day wound events and additional morbidity and mortality following inguinal hernia repair with mesh: an analysis of the ACHQC database.

To date, there is limited data on the association of active smoking and 30-day wound events following inguinal hernia repair (IHR) with mesh. We aimed to determine if active smoking at the time of IHR with mesh was associated with worse 30-days wound events and additional morbidity outcomes using the Abdominal Core Health Quality Collaborative (ACHQC) database. All adult patients undergoing elective, IHR with mesh who had 30-day follow-up data available were identified within the ACHQC database. Smokers were defined as having used nicotine within the 30 days prior to surgery. A 1:1 propensity score matched analysis was performed comparing smokers to non-smokers, controlling for factors previously shown to be associated with postoperative wound events. The effect of smoking on 30-day wound events and additional morbidity outcomes following IHR with mesh was investigated using Chi-square or Fisher's exact test for categorical data and Wilcoxon ranked test for continuous data. A total of 17,543 patients met inclusion criteria; 1855 (11%) were active smokers at the time of minimally invasive IHR with mesh. A total of 3694 patients were used for the matched analysis. There were no statistically significant differences between the non-smokers and smokers with respect to the incidence of surgical site infection (p = 0.10), surgical site occurrences (p = 0.22), or surgical site occurrences requiring procedural intervention (p = 0.64). Non-smokers were significantly more likely to be readmitted to the hospital and had significantly less improvement in all pain domains following IHR with mesh. Active smoking at the time of IHR with mesh is not associated with worse 30-day wound or additional morbidity and mortality outcomes. Based on these results, preoperative smoking cessation for all patients undergoing IHR may not reduce 30-day morbidity.

Does timing matter? The effect of preoperative smoking cessation on the risk of infection or revision following rotator cuff repair.

Nicotine in tobacco products is known to impair bone and tendon healing, and smoking has been associated with an increased rate of retear and reoperation following rotator cuff repair (RCR). Although smoking is known to increase the risk of failure following RCR, former smoking status and the timing of preoperative smoking cessation have not previously been investigated. A national all-payer database was queried for patients undergoing RCR between 2010 and 2020. Patients were stratified into 5 mutually exclusive groups according to smoking history: (1) never smokers (n=50,000), (2) current smokers (n=28,291), (3) former smokers with smoking cessation 3-6 months preoperatively (n=34,513), (4) former smokers with smoking cessation 6-12 months preoperatively (n=786), and (5) former smokers with smoking cessation >12 months preoperatively (n=1399). The risks of postoperative infection and revision surgery were assessed at 90 days, 1 year, and 2 years following surgery. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to isolate and evaluate risk factors for postoperative complications. The 90-day rate of infection following RCR was 0.28% in never smokers compared with 0.51% in current smokers and 0.52% in former smokers who quit smoking 3-6 months prior to surgery (P<.001). Multivariate logistic regression identified smoking (odds ratio [OR], 1.49; P<.001) and smoking cessation 3-6 months prior to surgery (OR, 1.56; P<.001) as risk factors for 90-day infection. The elevated risk in these groups persisted at 1 and 2 years postoperatively. However, smoking cessation >6 months prior to surgery was not associated with a significant elevation in infection risk. In addition, smoking was associated with an elevated 90-day revision risk (OR, 1.22; P=.038), as was smoking cessation between 3 and 6 months prior to surgery (OR, 1.19; P=.048). The elevated risk in these groups persisted at 1 and 2 years postoperatively. Smoking cessation >6 months prior to surgery was not associated with a statistically significant elevation in revision risk. Current smokers and former smokers who quit smoking within 6 months of RCR are at an elevated risk of postoperative infection and revision surgery at 90 days, 1 year, and 2 years postoperatively compared with never smokers. Former smokers who quit >6 months prior to RCR are not at a detectably elevated risk of infection or revision surgery compared with those who have never smoked.

Effectiveness of Different Types of Smoking Cessation Health Education for Preoperative Patents and the Factors Correlated with Cessation Success Rate

&lt;p&gt;目的：探討預計接受手術之病人接受不同戒菸衛教方式之戒菸成功率與影響因子分析。&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;方法：本研究為臨床介入前瞻性隨機分配研究。研究對象為2016年10月至2020年1月某醫學中心預計進行常規手術的吸菸病人，隨機分配為影片衛教組及單張衛教組，進行戒菸衛教介入，並分別於戒菸衛教介入後三個月、六個月、十二個月以電話追蹤個案的吸菸狀況，監測點戒菸成功率。以統計方式分析兩組類別變項差異，以及與點戒菸成功率之相關性。&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;結果：本研究共收案79人（接受單張衛教組為44人，男性佔95.5%，平均年齡為49.47&amp;plusmn;13.52歲；接受影片衛教組為35人，男性佔100%，平均年齡為49.25&amp;plusmn;12.96歲）。結果顯示戒菸成功率，在3個月點戒菸成功率中，影片衛教組顯著高於單張衛教組，但在6個月及12個月點戒菸成功率則無顯著差異。進一步以羅吉斯迴歸分析發現有使用戒菸藥物者其手術前戒菸衛教3個月點戒菸成功率較高，有糖尿病者手術前戒菸衛教3個月點戒菸成功率較低。而術前接受單張衛教介入者3個月點戒菸成功率較接受影片衛教者低。12個月點戒菸成功率部分則發現罹患心血管疾病者、罹患癌症者其手術前戒菸衛教12個月點戒菸成功率較高；吸菸時間較長者其手術前戒菸衛教12個月點戒菸成功率較低。&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;結論：手術前接受戒菸衛教能提升戒菸意願，增加戒菸成功率，其中使用傳統衛教單張作為戒菸衛教的媒材相較於衛教影片的戒菸成功率低，故也許能嘗試使用衛教影片作為媒材以期提升短期戒菸成功率。&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Purpose: To explore the success rates and influencing factors of different smoking cessation education methods among patients scheduled for surgery.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Methods: This study is a clinical intervention prospective randomized controlled trial. The study population consisted of smokers scheduled for elective surgery at a medical center between October 2016 and January 2020. Participants were randomly assigned to either a video education group or a pamphlet education group for smoking cessation intervention. Follow-ups were conducted via phone at three months, six months, and twelve months after the intervention to monitor smoking status and assess point cessation success rates. Statistical analyses were performed to compare categorical variables between the two groups of participants and assess correlations with point cessation success rates.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Results: A total of 79 participants were enrolled (44 in the pamphlet education group, 95.5% male, mean age 49.47&amp;plusmn;13.52 years; 35 in the video education group, 100% male, mean age 49.25&amp;plusmn;12.96 years). Results indicated that, at the 3-month follow-up, the video education group exhibited a significantly higher smoking cessation success rate than the pamphlet education group. However, no significant differences were observed at the 6-month and 12-month follow-ups. Further analysis using logistic regression revealed that individuals using smoking cessation medication reported a higher smoking cessation success rate at the 3-month follow-up after preoperative smoking cessation education; the success rate, however, was lower for diabetes patients. Moreover, the success rate at the 3-month follow-up remained lower in those receiving pamphlet education as compared to those receiving video education. At the 12-month follow-up, the success rate after operative smoking cessation education was higher among participants with cardiovascular disease and cancer but lower in those with a longer smoking history. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Conclusion: Preoperative smoking cessation education enhances the motivation and success rates of smoking cessation for patients scheduled for surgery, and traditional health education pamphlets appear to be less effective than health education videos. Therefore, it may be worth trying health education videos as a medium to enhance short-term smoking cessation success rates.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

Risk factors for catheter–associated urinary tract infections following radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer

Radical hysterectomy is the mainstay of treatment for early-stage cervical cancer. Urinary tract dysfunction is one of the most common complications after radical hysterectomy, and prolonged catheterization has previously been defined as a significant risk factor for catheter-associated urinary tract infections. This study aimed to determine the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infections after radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer, and to identify additional risk factors for developing catheter-associated urinary tract infections in this population. We reviewed patients who underwent radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer from 2004 to 2020 after institutional review board approval. All patients were identified from institutional Gynecologic Oncology surgical and tumor databases. The inclusion criterion was radical hysterectomy for early-stage cervical cancer. Exclusion criteria included inadequate hospital follow-up, insufficient records of catheter use in the electronic medical record, urinary tract injury, and preoperative chemoradiation. Catheter-associated urinary tract infection was defined as an infection diagnosed in a catheterized patient or within 48 hours of catheter removal, with significant bacteriuria (>103 cfu/mL) and symptoms or signs attributable to the urinary tract. Data analysis was performed using comparative analysis and univariate and multivariable logistic regression using Excel, GraphPad Prism, and IBM SPSS Statistics. Of the 160 included patients, 12.5% developed catheter-associated urinary tract infections. In univariate analysis, catheter-associated urinary tract infection was significantly associated with current smoking history (odds ratio, 3.76; 95% confidence interval, 1.39-10.08), minimally invasive surgical approach (odds ratio, 5.24; 95% confidence interval, 1.91-16.87), estimated surgical blood loss >500 mL (odds ratio, 0.18; 95% confidence interval, 0.04-0.57), operative time >300 minutes (odds ratio, 2.92; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-9.36), and increased duration of catheterization (odds ratio, 18.46; 95% confidence interval, 3.67-336). After adjusting for interactions and controlling for potential confounders with multivariable analysis, current smoking history and catheterization for >7 days were identified as independent risk factors for development of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (adjusted odds ratio, 3.94; 95% confidence interval, 1.28-12.37; adjusted odds ratio, 19.49; 95% confidence interval, 2.78-427). Preoperative smoking cessation interventions for current smokers should be implemented to decrease risk for postoperative complications, including catheter-associated urinary tract infections. In addition, catheter removal within 7 postoperative days should be encouraged in all women undergoing radical hysterectomy for early-stage cervical cancer in an effort to decrease infection risk.

Effect of Smoking History on 30-Day Morbidity Following Bariatric Surgery.

Smoking and postoperative complications are well documented across surgical specialties. Preoperative smoking cessation is frequently recommended by surgeons. In this study, we assessed to what degree documented smoking history increased a patient's risk of postoperative complications. The Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) database for the years 2015-2018 was used. Patients were included if they underwent primary sleeve gastrectomy (SG) or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB). Patients with a documented smoking history were assigned to the "SH" cohort and patients without smoking history were assigned to the "NSH" cohort. Patients without documentation regarding smoking history, missing variables, younger than 18, with prior surgery, or lost to follow-up were excluded. 30-day morbidity and mortality data were assessed. Multiple logistic regression analysis was made based on all available patient characteristics and perioperative factors, continuous variables were analyzed using Student's t-test and categorical variables were compared using the chi-square test. After evaluation of 760,076 patients on the MBSAQIP database, 650,930 patients underwent non-revisional bariatric surgery, including 466,270 SG and 184,660 LRYGB. Of the total patients included in the study, 44,606 patients were assigned to the SH cohort and 479,601 were assigned to the NSH cohort. 4628 of patients did not have documented smoking status. Within 30 days SH patients had higher rates of readmission (4.2% vs 3.7%, P < .0001), reoperation (1.3% vs 1.1%, P < .0001), unplanned intubation (.2% vs .1%, P = .0212), and unplanned ICU admission (.7% vs .0.6%, P = .0022). SH patients undergoing bariatric surgery were at significantly increased risk of readmission and reoperation within 30days of procedure. In addition, SH patients were more likely to have unplanned intubation and unplanned ICU admission. Given the higher rates of complications in smoking patients, this study would suggest that preoperative smoking cessation in patients prior to primary bariatric surgery might be beneficial. Further study is warranted to compare short-term cessation vs long-term cessation preoperatively, which was not assessed in our study.

Hospital based prevalence of smoking among surgical patients in tertiary care hospitals of Karachi Pakistan.

To determine the prevalence of smoking and to evaluate the knowledge about preoperative smoking cessation in patients coming for elective surgery. The cross-sectional study was conducted from July 30, 2019, to March 17, 2020, in the preoperative anaesthesia assessment clinic and surgical wards of Aga Khan University Hospital, Civil Hospital Karachi, and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Karachi, and comprised all patients of either gender aged >12 years scheduled for elective surgery having American Society of Anaesthesiologists physical status I-IV. Data was analysed using Stata 13. Of the 811 patients, 478(59%) were male and 333(41%) were female. The overall mean age was 43.4±16.4 years and mean BMI was 25.0±5.8kg/m2. There were 164(20.2%) smokers in the sample. The overall knowledge about preoperative smoking cessation was significantly associated with the level of education and gender (p<0.05). Smoking in surgical patients was about one-fifth of the overall sample, and knowledge related to preoperative smoking abstinence was significantly associated with educational status and gender.

Smoking cessation prior to total shoulder arthroplasty: A systematic review of outcomes and complications.

We conducted a review of current literature to examine the effects of smoking and smoking cessation on shoulder arthroplasty surgery. A literature search was performed using the search terms "shoulder arthroplasty AND [smoke OR smoking OR tobacco OR nicotine]." Studies included English-language clinical outcomes studies on anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA), reverse TSA, and partial shoulder arthroplasty with evidence levels 1 through 4. Descriptive statistics calculated in the included studies were used during the analysis. Categorical variables were reported as proportions, while continuous variables were reported as means with minimum to maximum absolute ranges. Twenty-four studies were included and analyzed. Following TSA, patients who quit smoking at least 1 month preoperatively had improved outcomes compared to current smokers. Current smokers had statistically significant higher pain scores or opioid use. Five studies found increased rates of revision surgery in smokers. Smokers were significantly (p < 0.05) more likely to have increased rates of surgical, wound, superficial, and deep surgical site complications. Former smokers had lower complication rates and visual analog scale scores when compared to current users. A period of four weeks or more of preoperative smoking cessation is recommended. Level III, Systematic Review.

Identifying potentially avoidable femoral to popliteal expanded polytetrafluoroethylene bypass for claudication using cross-site blinded peer review

ObjectiveThe surgical treatment of claudication can be associated with significant morbidity and costs. There are growing concerns that some patients proceed to interventions without first attempting evidence-based nonoperative management. We used a direct, cross-site, blinded expert review to evaluate the appropriateness of the surgical treatment of claudication. MethodsWe enlisted practicing vascular surgeons to perform retrospective clinical assessments of lower extremity bypass procedures in a statewide clinical registry. Cases were limited to elective, open, infrainguinal bypasses performed for claudication using prosthetic grafts. Reviewing surgeons were randomly assigned 10 cases from a sample of 139 anonymized bypass operations and instructed to evaluate procedural appropriateness based on their expert opinion and evidence-based guidelines for preoperative treatment, namely, antiplatelet, statin, cilostazol, exercise, and smoking cessation therapy as documented in the medical record. Ninety-day episode payments were estimated from a distinct but similar cohort of patients undergoing lower extremity bypass for claudication. ResultsOf 325 total reviews, surgeons stated they would not have recommended bypass in 134 reviews (41%) and deemed bypass inappropriate in 122 reviews (38%). The most common reason for inappropriateness was lack of preoperative medical and lifestyle therapy, which was present in 63% of reviews where bypass was deemed appropriate and 39% of reviews where bypass was deemed inappropriate (P < .001). Surgeons stated they would have recommended additional preoperative therapy in 65% of reviews where bypass was deemed inappropriate and 35% of reviews where bypass was deemed appropriate (P < .001). The mean total episode payments in a similar cohort of 1458 patients undergoing elective open lower extremity bypass for claudication were $31,301 ± $21,219. Extrapolating to the 325 reviews, the 134 reviews in which surgeons would not have recommended bypass were associated with potentially avoidable estimated total payments of $4,194,334, and the 122 reviews in which bypass was deemed inappropriate were associated with potentially avoidable estimated total payments of $3,818,722. ConclusionsIn this cross-site expert peer review study, 40% of lower extremity bypasses were deemed premature and, therefore, potentially avoidable, primarily owing to a lack of medical and lifestyle management before surgery. Reviews deemed inappropriate were associated with approximately $4 million in potentially avoidable costs. This approach could inform performance feedback among surgeons to help align clinical practice with evidence-based recommendations for the treatment of claudication.

ASO Visual Abstract: Preoperative Smoking Cessation and Prognosis After Curative Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer-A Cross-Sectional Study.

ASO Visual Abstract: Preoperative Smoking Cessation and Prognosis After Curative Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer-A Cross-Sectional Study.

Preoperative smoking cessation program in patients undergoing intermediate to high-risk surgery: a randomized, single-blinded, controlled, superiority trial

BackgroundAt present, effectively implementing smoking cessation programs in the health care system constitutes a major challenge. A unique opportunity to initiate smoking cessation focuses on smokers scheduled for surgery. These patients are not only highly motivated to quit smoking but also likely to benefit from a reduction in postoperative complications which may translate into a decrease of costs. Nevertheless, surgical patients are not routinely informed about the benefits of preoperative smoking cessation. Potential reasons for this missed opportunity may be the lack of time and training of surgeons and anaesthesiologists. We therefore aim to analyse the impact of a preoperative high-intensity smoking cessation intervention on surgical complications up to a 90-day postoperative period in patients of various surgical disciplines. The hypothesis is that a preoperative smoking cessation program improves outcomes in smokers undergoing intermediate to high-risk surgery.MethodsThe present study is a single-centre, randomized trial with two parallel groups of smokers scheduled for surgery comparing surgery alone and surgery with preoperative smoking cessation. We plan to randomize 251 patients. The primary objective is to compare complications between patients with an institutional multifaceted smoking cessation intervention starting 4 weeks before surgery compared to patients in the advice-only group (control group) within a 90-day postoperative period. The primary endpoint is the Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI®) within 90 days of surgery. Secondary outcomes include the length of hospital stay, cost of care, quality of life, smoking abstinence, and reduction in nicotine consumption.DiscussionThe hypothesis is that a preoperative smoking cessation program improves outcomes in smokers undergoing surgery.Trial registrationBASEC #2021-02004; ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05192837. Registered on January 14, 2022.

Preoperative Smoking Cessation and Prognosis After Curative Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Several cohort studies have reported that post-esophagectomy morbidities may worsen prognosis. Smoking cessation is an effective prophylactic measure for reducing post-esophagectomy morbidity; however, whether smoking cessation can contribute to the improvement of prognosis is unknown due to the absence of reliable databases covering the cessation period. This study aimed to elucidate whether sufficient preoperative smoking cessation can improve prognosis after esophageal cancer surgery by reducing post-esophagectomy morbidity. This study included 544 consecutive patients who underwent curative McKeown and Ivor-Lewis esophagectomies for esophageal cancer between May 2011 and June 2021. Data on smoking status and cessation period were prospectively accumulated. Survival data were finally updated on 30 January 2022. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for the cut-off value of appropriate cessation period in reducing post-esophagectomy respiratory morbidity as well as analyses for the association of cessation period with short- and long-term outcomes were performed. Post-esophagectomy morbidity significantly diminished overall survival (OS) after esophagectomy (p = 0.0003). A short preoperative smoking cessation period of ≤ 2 months was associated with frequent post-esophagectomy morbidity of Clavien-Dindo classification ≥IIIb (p = 0.0059), pneumonia (p = 0.016), respiratory morbidity (p = 0.0057), and poor OS in clinical stages II and III (p = 0.0015). Moreover, it was an independent factor for poor OS (hazard ratio 1.85, 95% confidence interval 1.068-3.197; p = 0.028), along with body mass index <18.5 and R1 resection. Sufficient preoperative smoking cessation > 2 months may be effective in improving not only short-term outcomes but also prognosis after esophagectomy for locally advanced esophageal cancer.

ASO Author Reflections: Insufficient Preoperative Smoking Cessation May Deteriorate Postoperative Prognosis for Esophageal Cancer

ASO Author Reflections: Insufficient Preoperative Smoking Cessation May Deteriorate Postoperative Prognosis for Esophageal Cancer

Short-term complications after minimally invasive retromuscular ventral hernia repair: no need for preoperative weight loss or smoking cessation?

Obesity and smoking areassociated with postoperative wound complications following open hernia repair. However, with the advancements in minimally invasive surgical techniques, we hypothesized that obese and/or smoking patients undergoing minimally invasive repairs were not subjected to an increased risk of postoperative surgical complications. As opposed to nonobese and/or nonsmoking patients. This was a retrospective cohort study including patients undergoing minimally invasive retromuscular repair at a single university hospital. Patients were divided into two groups according to exposure; obese vs. nonobese and smoking vs. nonsmoking. One month postoperatively, all patients underwent clinical follow-up. The main outcome was surgical site occurrence (SSO). A total of 94 patients were included, undergoing both laparoscopic (n = 32) and robotic (n = 62) retromuscular repair. Of these, 7.7% of the obese patients had SSO when compared with 19.1% of the nonobese patients. A total of 17.2% of the nonsmokers had SSO compared with 13.3% of the active smokers. Of the nonsmokers, 12.5% developed seroma and 6.2% hematoma postoperatively, the corresponding numbers were 13.3% and 0% among the active smokers. After multivariable analysis, there was no significant risk factors for developing postoperative SSO. There was no association between obesity or smoking and surgical complication in patients undergoing minimally invasive retromuscular repair. If the results of the current study are confirmed, patients who are unable to obtain weight loss or smoking cessation may be offered minimally invasive retromuscular ventral hernia repair without inducing an increased risk of short-term complications.

The Influence of Smoking on Healing of Scaphoid Non-union after a Vascularized Pedicle Bone Flap Operation: A Review and Meta-analysis

The purpose of this study is to compare the vascularized bone flaps (VBF) that are used in operations for scaphoid non-union in smokers and non-smokers and to scrutinize if the better biological potential of the VBFs can counteract the negative influence of smoking on healing. Our study included articles published until 2016, with scaphoid non-union patients who were operated on with a VBF or a VBG. Eighteen articles met eligibility criteria with 335 non-smokers and 136 smokers totally. Healing of the scaphoid non-union was significantly more probable in the non-smoking group (OR=5.54, p<0.001). Patients with avascular necrosis in the proximal pole of the scaphoid (AVNPP) and non-AVNPP showed that non-smoking favors a better healing rate in both of these subgroups (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). Non-smokers have 11 times and the non-AVNPP patient's 7.7 times greater probability of healing of the non-union. Meta-analysis of the data for time for healing showed a longer time in the smokers' group by 2.46 weeks, though non-statistically significant. The analysis could not prove that smoking is a predisposing factor for the development of AVNPP (spearman=0.094, p<0.05). Despite that, preoperative smoking cessation proved to be an inadequate healing moderator (OR=3.5, p=0.268). Finally, VBFs showed a significantly better healing rate compared with nVBGs in smokers (p=0.001). A hand surgeon should always take into consideration that smoking negatively influences the healing potential of a scaphoid non-union despite the theoretically superior biological background that VBFs offer. In patients who refuse to quit smoking, a VBF may be considered a better choice than a conventional graft.

Smoking Cessation Counseling in the PreAnesthesia Testing Clinic: A Quality Improvement Initiative

PurposeTo determine the feasibility and effectiveness of an Advanced Practice Provider (APP) led smoking cessation counseling service integrated into the preanesthesia evaluation for adults preparing for an elective procedure who smoke. DesignQuasi experimental study. MethodsAn educational in-service was provided to staff members in the Preanesthesia Testing Clinic prior to the integration of the smoking cessation counseling intervention. Knowledge retention was assessed using a pre- and post-test. After the training was complete, staff members began to identify eligible individuals for smoking cessation counseling. Individuals who met the inclusion criteria were stratified into two groups based on their perioperative risk and medical history. High-risk individuals were counseled immediately by the APP. Low risk individuals were first screened by the Registered Nurse and internally referred to the APP for cessation counseling. Those who received smoking cessation counseling were referred to third party smoking cessation support services for ongoing follow up. FindingsIndividuals stratified into the low-risk group reported smoking significantly less postoperatively after preoperative telephonic smoking cessation counseling. ConclusionThe results demonstrate positive smoking cessation outcomes supporting that it is feasible and advantageous to integrate smoking cessation counseling into the preanesthesia evaluation for adults preparing for an elective procedure.