Washington, Mar 13 : Giving up smoking before surgery can almost half the risk of post-op complications, says a new study.
"Smokers are prone to developing a number of complications after surgery, ranging from impaired wound and bone healing to life-threatening pulmonary and cardiovascular problems" said Dr Omid Sadr Azodi from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.
"This is why it is so important to find feasible, financially attractive and effective ways to help patients stop smoking before surgery," the expert added.
During the study, the researchers randomly assigned 117 patients who were due to undergo general or orthopaedic surgery to an intervention and control group.