American doctors increasingly refuse to operate smokers

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A resident of Charlotte, North Carolina, doctors were denied back surgery because he is a smoker. This angered the patient, because back problems lead to pain in his legs and he can barely move.

Edition Miami Herald decided to sort out the situation.

The man understands that smoking is a bad habit, but he is not sure that he can quit after 35 years of smoking, and does not think that he should do so, since both of his grandfathers smoked throughout their lives and lived to be 88 and 92 years old.

Doctors agree that genetics has a huge impact on the level of human health and the duration of his life, but his behavior and lifestyle are also of great importance.

Most people know that smoking increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer. But in recent years, scientists have found that smoking slows down the healing process of wounds, affecting blood flow. Therefore, the rehabilitation of smokers after operations on the spine and joints takes much longer and more difficult than non-smokers.

One study showed that smokers who have undergone joint replacement surgery by 80% more often than non-smokers need repeated surgical interventions due to the development of infections or rejection. In this regard, surgeons began to ask patients to quit smoking, or at least stop smoking for the period from 4 to 6 months before and after surgery. Those who cannot do this are asked to reduce the number of cigarettes they smoke in a day.

Doctors explain that complications after surgery, the risk of which smokers are more susceptible to others due to poor blood flow, lead to much worse conditions than those in which patients are before the operation. Therefore, doctors are trying to protect them from this. Surgeons emphasize that they do not refuse patients in the operation, but they are trying to achieve the most positive result, forcing them to quit smoking.

Most patients are not denied, they are consulted and sent to special classes that will help to give up the bad habit.

Smoking is not the only factor that reduces the chances of successful surgery. These also include diabetes and excess weight.

This concern of doctors about the result of the operation is to a certain extent caused by the evolution of the medical system. Most medical professionals in the United States receive payment based on the number of patient visits and the procedures they perform. Thus, complications after operations bring them more money. But in Charlotte, some surgeons work on a comprehensive payment system when the patient pays for the operation in full, including the rehabilitation period. Therefore, doctors are interested in the most successful result and the absence of complications. If the operation is successful, the doctor saves some of the money, if complications begin, the surgeon or hospital should cover the additional costs.

Therefore, doctors prefer to perform “surgical optimization” of patients before surgery, including quitting smoking, losing weight, etc., in order to have the highest chances of success.

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