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Should you stop before your op?  

• Smoking increases the risk of complications during and after surgery.

• Smokers are more likely to have anaesthesia-related complications.

• Smoking delays recovery and wounds-healing.   



If you smoke 10 cigarettes a day you have six times more risk of post-operative breathing problems. 
• Smokers need more anaesthesia for surgery
Anaesthesia helps to reduce spasms and coughing during and after surgery. Tar in tobacco  smoke irritates the lungs and smokers need more anaesthesia to lessen these problems. 

• Smokers have a higher chance of chest infections after surgery
Smoking destroys the cilia that clean out the lungs.  Mucus in smokers’ lungs is contaminated with tar.  After anaesthesia it is very important to clear mucus out of the lungs.   Even non-smokers are at risk of pneumonia if the lungs don’t clear the mucus.  The risk for smokers of chest infections is much greater as the lungs can’t clean themselves. 

• Smokers spend longer in recovery room and need extra oxygen
Smokers need more time in the recovery room before they stabilise.  All smokers are at risk.  Cutting down is not an option.  Most patients are given extra oxygen in the recovery room but smokers need more oxygen therapy and for longer. 



Smokers have slower wound healing
• Smokers have less oxygen to help healing
Healing is helped by oxygen in the blood reaching the wound.  But tobacco smoke makes the blood vessels tighten and reduces the blood reaching the wound.  Then carbon monoxide in smoke robs the blood of oxygen. 

• Nicotine is a big problem for healing
Nicotine in tobacco smoke damages the production of red blood cells that carry essential healing chemicals to the scar and make blood more ‘sticky’.  This reduces the blood flow and slows the healing process.   



Does it help to stop before your op?
The sooner you can stop before your op, the better. Stopping smoking weeks if not months before an operation is best.

But not everyone knows they are going to have surgery until they actually need it.  Stopping 12, 24 or 48 hours before an operation can decrease some of the risks.  Carbon monoxide and nicotine are cleared from the body in a matter of days and this helps to improve healing and recovery.

If you need help to Stop Before Your Op call a smokers’ helpline or ask you family doctor, pharmacist of consultant for advice.   

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