Strategies of smoking cessation intervention before hernia surgery - Effect on perioperative smoking behavior

Background: Although it is now generally accepted that patients should be advised to quit smoking before surgery, the effect of low-intensive smoking cessation intervention, both on preoperative smoking behavior and on risk reduction, remains unclear. Our objective was to study the effect on perioperative smoking behavior and on postoperative wound infection of different types of low-intensive intervention before herniotomy. Methods: Between October 1998 and October 2000, 180 consecutive smokers scheduled for elective herniotomy were advised to quit smoking perioperatively and subsequently allocated randomly to three low-intensive smoking cessation groups: A standard (control) group, a telephone group, which was reminded by telephone, and an out-patient group, which was reminded by means of an out-patient talk and demonstration of nicotine replacement drugs. Spontaneous perioperative smoking behavior was recorded for 64 consecutive non-advised smokers. Postoperative wound infection was evaluated by independent assessors. Results: Of the advised patients, 19% (29/149) stopped smoking before surgery compared with 2% (1/64) in the non-advised cohort (P < 0.01). In the standard group 13% (6/48) quit smoking compared with 23% (23/101) in the pooled telephone and outpatient group (NS). In the last group 64% (65/101) reduced or stopped smoking compared with 42% (20/48) in the standard group (P < 0.05). Predictors of failed perioperative cessation of smoking were a CO breath-test at inclusion above 20 ppm (OR: 0.11; 0.02-0-57) and low motivation to quit smoking (OR: 0.25; 0.09-0.70). Wound infection occurred in 6% (13/213) and there was no difference between the groups. Conclusion: Low-intensive smoking cessation intervention helps approximately one fifth of patients to stop smoking perioperatively. Patients who are reminded in addition to preoperative advice are more likely to stop or reduce smoking. Failure to stop smoking is greater if the patients are not motivated and if the CO breath test is high at the time of the preoperative advice. © Springer-Verlag 2007.