If you are a smoker or have a loved one that is, here is another reason to consider quitting. Two separate studies which came out last year and were presented at the 2012 annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons discussed smoking and its effect of hip and total knee implants.
It was found that the revision rate, meaning a “re-do” surgery, was 10 times higher for smokers compared to non-smokers. It was also noted smokers had a significantly higher rate of complications, such as blood clots, compared with non-smokers.
Dr. Jeffrey Salin, a joint specialist at Kansas City Bone & Joint Clinic who does a number of joint replacements in any given week, states, “We encourage our patients on smoking cessation from an overall health standpoint but these studies confirm the need for smoking cessation for the longevity of the implants as well.” He also goes on to explain the importance of discontinuing smoking during the wound healing process, “Smoking can increase your risk for delayed wound healing and also increase your risk for infection. I encourage my patients that it would be in their best interest to stop smoking and to not return to the habit to protect their health and their new implant.”
For more information on the studies and the article from Arthritis Today
Click here to discover information on smoking cessation from Krames Online