Community Chat

[cherry]

I've never heard of this before. I guess they feel, it's not in the patients best interest ,to do elective surgery, under certain conditions

http://www.macon.com/news/nation-world/world/article134445104.html#fmp

[goldensrbest]

I have lost so many from smoking, but  you can not make someone stop,they know the dangers and still do it.

[jaxs mom]

um ok

[namee]

This is very true and has been for a long time. Even if you smoke the E-Ciggarettesor use any type of Nicotine product. It can be a recovery issue and an issue on the table. Certainly an Anesthesiology concern.  Some elective surgery companies will not hire you if you smoke or the same. Don't get me started!!!!! I do not smoke ciggarettes or anything illegal by the way, I used to smoke and if you want the surgery then can't you sign something??? One would think. In the end someone will operate on you.

[chickenbutt]

It's a good thing.  Smoking can cause huge problems with recovering properly from surgery.     I've been hearing bits and pieces about this for a few years, especially watching 'Botched'.  

I think it has to do with, among other things, blood flow issues.   There are a lot of bodily energies that go into healing.  Smoking impedes this in ways that are counterproductive.

[qualitygal]

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@chickenbutt wrote:

It's a good thing.  Smoking can cause huge problems with recovering properly from surgery.     I've been hearing bits and pieces about this for a few years, especially watching 'Botched'.  

I think it has to do with, among other things, blood flow issues.   There are a lot of bodily energies that go into healing.  Smoking impedes this in ways that are counterproductive.

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That's what I've heard too. Vessels with blood flowing through them and capillaries, shrink I guess, if you smoke. after seeing Botched, why go in for a good reason, and have it fall short because of blood flow.

[Allegheny]

On one hand, I understand, on the other I don't.  

The risks, success and recuperation can be greatly hampered if a person is a smoker or overweight.  On many procedures, even cosmetic, physicians will ask the patient to refrain from smoking for a certain period prior to surgery and will explain why.  

My DH and brother both are considering knee replacement.  Their doctors tell them they need to lose 50 pounds prior to surgery.  While I understand why, one point of needing the surgery is to enable the patient to be more mobile so they can be able to be more active and get more exercise.  The same issue with the dozen or so people I know who have had bariatric surgery.

On the other hand, what about non elective procedures that have to be performed whether or not a person is a smoker or overweight?  Do they refrain from doing them?

Or what about a person's status.  Would they expect the same of some high profile person who wanted wanted elective surgery?  

[cherry]

@Allegheny  the article only mentioned elective surgery. I imagine if you needed a life saving surgery, they would preform it

It also mentioned diabetics, with high blood sugar readings ,and obese people

[ChynnaBlue]

Makes sense. There are lots of reasons doctors won't perform surgery. they won't perform surgery if you have a variety of health risks, including obesity, immune disorders, pregnancy, etc. Those things all increase the risks of the surgery and make recovery more difficult.

Even if you need a life-saving surgery, they may not perform it if you don't meet certain criteria. They won't give you a liver transplant if you are an alcoholic and there are other people on the list with a higher survivability rate. Age can even bump you off a transplant list. There are only so many organs to go around and they look at all kinds of data to figure out who should get the next available heart, liver, lungs, etc.