Surgery Question! Please Help

Question

Ok, im 18 years old and Im getting surgery for gynecomastia. I was told to stop smoking 6 weeks prior to my surgery, but i read online that you have to stop 2 weeks. well my surgery's is 12 days away, and i smoked my last cigarette today. will there be any complications for smoking 12 days before surgery?

Answer 1

The reason you should stop smoking before your surgery is because smoking causes poor circulation.  Poor circulation inhibits the cells in your blood from soaking up the oxygen which helps you heal.  You should be ok as long as you really don't continue to smoke.  Your body needs a little time to get rid of all of the toxins in the lungs caused by smoking....that is why they want you to quit 6 weeks in advance.  Hope this helps!

Answer 2

In general with anesthesia, there are always problems with compromised lung capacity.  Truthfully, no one really knows why the drugs in anesthetics even work.  We know only that they produce unconsciousness, and usually dream free, and usually the brain registers no pain.  What every anesthesiologist hopes for is an uneventful anesthetic recovery... that is, when the gas is turned off, and the oxygen upped, that you regain consciousness unimpaired...notice UNIMPAIRED>

What inhaled tobacco does is paralyze the villa in the air passages and the lungs.  As well, it produces blebs in the lungs in those who have smoked a long time.  (Google the term).  Decreased lung capacity of any sort---of any sort -- makes anesthesia riskier.... they like you as healthy going into any surgery as possible.

Don't depend on anything that you read on line for references to something so critical as anesthesia... as an example:

My ex was told to stop all anti-inflammatory medication a minimum of two weeks before eye lid  surgery.  Four or 5 weeks before the surgery he announced to me that he knew all of the meds were out of his system in 7 days, because he again hurt like h**l.  So, for just the 7 days before the surgery, he quit the ibuprofen.  On the table he bled soooo profusely, the surgeon couldn't finish, and stopped, sewed him up, and told him he'd need to reschedule!!!!!!... (Ibuprofen thins the blood making clotting difficult.  Docs don't like you to bleed profusely when they start cutting.  (And my ex was a doctor himslf!!!!!)

So, sweetie, in your case, I'd postpone your surgery until you have stopped smoking the 6 full weeks.  This will give your lungs time to heal from the damage you have imposed upon them... and thus as well, you truly need to consider stopping... as my dad, also a doc, would answer to the question, "What are the three best things that I can do to have a healthy life?"

His answer was always:

1.  "stop smoking"

2.  "stop smoking"

3.  "stop smoking"

Answer 3

Smoking can cause many complications some minor and some major, but stopping for longer periods before surgery will reduce the risks but not remove them completely.

Keep up the not smoking from now and your risks will be lower by surgery day

Complications of smoking; In the body mucus is usually cleared from lungs by cilia, which are tiny hairs lining inside of the lungs constantly moving dirt and bacteria up into the throat. Which is when we then cough and spit it out.

Smoking paralyzes the cilia so greatly reducing the secretion clearance and the lungs can become clogged with thick mucus, bacteria and dead cells where infection is more likely to occur.

Carbon monoxide in the cigarette smoke binds to

the red blood cells reducing oxygen getting to the tissues around the body

Inhaling nicotine causes the release of adrenaline, which is known to increase the heart rate; the blood pressure and this in turn will increase the hearts demand for oxygen.

The liver enzymes can metabolise the drugs used for induction and anaesthesia affecting the action and duration of them.

Now it is not uncommon to see a young smoker who has no medical problems with normal heart & lung functions, and who usually continues to smoke up until the day of surgery.

Coming out of the anaesthetic can be more troublesome for a smoker as one or more of the following could occur breath holding, laryngeal spasm, bronchospasm, hypoventilation and hypoxia can occur

chest infection or pneumonia is common.

Wound healing is somtimes slower too.

The anaesthetist will rank the severity of risk to be monitored before, during and after the surgery.

You can help yourself by mobilising as soon after surgery as you are permitted, follow the deep breathing exercises you could be given by the chest physio, and by resisting the urge to go for a cigarette as much as possible.

Good luck with your surgery and hope all goes well