Quit Smoking Before Shoulder Replacement

Quitting smoking is one of the most critical things to do in preparation for shoulder replacement surgery so that your surgery will be successful. It is well known that the effects of nicotine on the body directly cause chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, vascular disease, hypertension, coronary artery disease and blood clots – just to name a few.

You may not know that smoking and using nicotine products can negatively impact your upcoming shoulder replacement surgery and how well you do after surgery, including increasing your risk of complications. Toxins in cigarette smoke affect the body’s inflammatory response which in turn affect the body’s ability to heal. Studies have shown that active cigarette smokers have up to 1.5 to 3.2 times increased risk of wound-related complications following a joint replacement surgery. Studies also found that both current and former smokers had significantly higher risk of periprosthetic infection in comparison with nonsmokers, and current smokers showed a higher risk of postoperative fractures than both former smokers and nonsmokers. (Click here to read the study.)

Although smoking can have these devastating complications, the good news is that quitting smoking and avoiding nicotine products can improve your chances of having a successful surgery. Following TSA, patients who quit smoking at least 1 month preoperatively had improved outcomes compared to current smokers. (Click here to learn more.)

If you are considering joint replacement surgery, speak to your doctor about quitting smoking prior to your surgery to better your chances of having a safe surgery with great outcomes. There are many ways to do this including counseling, referrals to local smoking cessation programs, nicotine replacement therapy and even quitting “cold turkey.”