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Smoking cessation and elective surgery: the cleanest cut

Matthew J Peters, Lucy C Morgan and Laurence Gluch
Med J Aust 2004; 180 (7): . || doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2004.tb05963.x
Published online: 5 April 2004

Smokers who undergo surgery have higher risks and are a greater burden on healthcare resources. Is it acceptable to give them lower priority on surgical waiting lists?


  • Concord Repatriation General Hospital, Concord, NSW.


Correspondence: 

  • 1. Moller AM, Villebro N, Pedersen T, Tonnesen H. Effect of preoperative smoking intervention on postoperative complications: a randomised clinical trial. Lancet 2002; 359: 114-117.
  • 2. Padubidri AN, Yetman R, Browne E, et al. Complications of postmastectomy breast reconstructions in smokers, ex-smokers, and nonsmokers. Plast Reconstr Surg 2001; 107: 342-349.
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  • 4. Manassa EH, Hertl CH, Olbrisch R-R. Wound healing problems in smokers and nonsmokers after 132 abdominoplasties. Plast Reconstr Surg 2003; 111: 2082-2087.
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  • 6. Sorensen LT, Jorgensen T. Short-term pre-operative smoking intervention does not affect postoperative complications in colorectal surgery: a randomised clinical trial. Colorectal Dis 2003; 5: 347-352.
  • 7. Jensen JA, Goodson WH, Hopf HW, Hunt TK. Cigarette smoking decreases tissue oxygen. Arch Surg 1991; 126: 1131-1134.
  • 8. Abudu A, Sivardeen KA, Grimer RJ, et al. The outcome of perioperative wound infection after total hip and knee arthroplasty. Int Orthop 2002; 26: 40-43.
  • 9. Bannister G. Prevention of infection in joint replacement. Curr Orthopaedics 2002; 16: 426-433.
  • 10. Myles PS, Iacono GA, Hunt JO, et al. Risk of respiratory complications and wound infection in patients undergoing ambulatory surgery. Smokers versus nonsmokers. Anesthesiology 2002; 97: 812-817.

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