Operation is a good opportunity for smoking cessation

Abstract

Objective: Smoking increases various perioperative risk and affects outcome of patients undergoing operation and the smoking rate is decreasing in Japan. Smoking has been prohibited in our university hospital premises since 2005. Japanese Society of Anesthesiologists formulated a guideline for perioperative smoking cessation in 2015. We surveyed smoking status of patients undergoing operation in their preoperative interview. Methods: Questionnaire as follows were carried out about smoking status the day before operation in 2006, 2011 and 2018 to the patients who were greater than eighteen years old: smoking history, awareness of the risk of perioperative smoking and intension to continues abstaining from smoking after discharge. Results: The numbers of patients were 1098 (12 months in 2006), 1124 (6 months in 2011) and 1094 (4 months in 2018). There were 50, 47and 50% non-smokers, 42, 45 and 45% ex-smokers, and 7, 7 and 5% current-smokers in 2006, 2011 and 2018, respectively. An awareness of the perioperative risk of smoking was admitted by 51, 55, and 85% of current-smokers in 2006, 2011 and 2018, respectively. An intention to stop smoking after discharge was stated in 45, 61 and 60% in 2006, 2011 and 2018, respectively. Conclusions: The perioperative risks of smoking have been gradually known. Among current-smokers, patients who intend to quit smoking after discharge increased. Operation or hospitalization is good opportunity for smoking cessation. Medical stuff should take this opportunity and encourage smoking cessation.