he list of reasons for which people should quit smoking persists on
gathering number. In addition to increasing the risks of developing
critical diseases such as heart-related problems, lung cancer,
respiratory ailments, and diabetes, according to a new study which was
presented during the annual meeting of the American Academy of
Orthopedic Surgeons on March 20, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois, smoking may
also create huge problems to a recipient of a hip implant.
Dr. Bhaveen H. Kapadia, of the Rubin Institute for Advanced
Orthopedics of Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland and the lead
researcher, reports that smokers may require more revision surgeries
after a total hip replacement operation and may also be exposed to more
potential complications. These concerns extend to smokers regardless of
the number of packs or years involved and whether or not these patients
quit smoking before their hip surgery, the study further revealed.
This study used as basis the records of surgical procedures done over
a three-year period from 2007 to 2009 in one medical center.
Participants of this research consisted of 110 smokers between the ages
of 35 to 84 years with a mean age of 55 years. Factors such as gender,
date of surgery, age within five years, medical comorbidities, and
immune suppressive conditions were used as bases in matching a control
group on a ratio of 2:1. The group was divided by the researchers
depending on the participant’s cigarette consumption and also further
stratified as either current or former smokers for a more detailed
research.
It was determined, at the conclusion of the research, that smokers
had an overall survivorship of 92 percent with nine revision surgeries
as compared to the 99 percent enjoyed by the non-smokers. Causes for
these revision surgeries were identified as due to infections for five
cases and pain and Acetabular component loosening for the other four
revisions. These revision surgeries were made on six of the participants
who were current smokers (9.2 percent) and two from the group of former
smokers (4.4 percent).
It was reported by Dr. Mara L. Schenker, an orthopedic surgery expert
at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, during the meeting
that fractured bones in smokers do not heal as quickly or as well than
the non-smokers. With today’s emphasis on cost control particularly with
revision surgeries which may come out very costly for the hip
recipient, she added that these findings may have a significant impact
on patient care.
That all efforts must be exerted to make patients stop or at least
minimize tobacco use before undergoing total hip replacement surgery was
the recommendation made by the study authors during the same
conference. This recommendation will certainly benefit the hip surgery
patient by minimizing the risks, who may already be facing potential
complications with the reports of massive product failures of several
hip replacement systems which have resulted to legal actions such as the
Smith & Nephew lawsuits.
