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Interventions for preoperative smoking cessationMøller A, Villebro N
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SummarySmokers are at increased risk of complications after surgery but there is limited direct evidence that stopping smoking before surgery reduces complications.Smoking is a well-known risk factor for complications after surgery. Studies of interventions to encourage smokers to stop before their operation show that short-term quitting and reduction can be achieved. The effect of intervention on complication rates is unclear, and may depend on how long before surgery the smoking behaviour changes.
This is a Cochrane review abstract and plain language summary, prepared and maintained by The Cochrane Collaboration, currently published in The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008 Issue 2, Copyright © 2008 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.. The full text of the review is available in The Cochrane Library (ISSN 1464-780X).
This version first published online:
October 23. 2001 AbstractBackgroundSmokers have a substantially increased risk of intra- and postoperative complications. Preoperative smoking intervention may be effective in decreasing this incidence. The preoperative period may be a well chosen time to offer smoking cessation interventions due to increased patient motivation. ObjectivesThe objective of this review was to assess the effect of preoperative smoking intervention on smoking cessation in the postoperative period and longer term. We also set out to determine the effect of smoking cessation on the incidence of postoperative complications. Search strategyThe specialized register of the Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group was searched using the free text and keywords (surgery) OR (operation) OR (anaesthesia) or (anesthesia). MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL were also searched, combining tobacco- and surgery-related terms. Most recent search February 2005. Selection criteriaWe considered randomized trials which recruited smokers prior to surgery, offered a smoking cessation intervention, and measured abstinence from smoking in the preoperative and postoperative periods. We also considered randomized trials of the effect of smoking cessation on the incidence of intra- and postoperative complications. Data collection and analysisThe authors independently assessed studies to determine eligibility. The results were discussed between the authors. Main resultsFour trials met the inclusion criteria. All trials significantly reduced preoperative smoking but the effect sizes were heterogeneous so a pooled effect was not estimated. Only two trials reported the effect of the smoking intervention on wound complications, and the results were heterogenous, with a significant reduction in wound-related complications, cardiopulmonary complications and the overall risk of any complication in one trial, and no evidence of a difference in complications in the other. The effect on longer term smoking cessation was not significant in either of the two trials with follow up beyond the perioperative period. Authors' conclusionsPreoperative smoking interventions are effective for changing smoking behaviour perioperatively. Direct evidence that reducing or stopping smoking reduces the risk of complications is based on two small trials with differing results. The impact on complications may depend on how long before surgery the smoking behaviour is changed, whether smoking is reduced or stopped completely, and the type of surgery. |