Summary
Background
The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of cigarette smoking on wound-healing
in patients undergoing breast reduction.
Methods
In our prospective study, 50 patients (25 smokers, 25 nonsmokers) scheduled for breast
reduction have been evaluated. Urine cotinine levels were measured to analyse perioperative
smoking habits. Urine samples were taken preoperatively and on the fourth postoperative
day. Cotinine as a metabolite of nicotine allows precise evaluation of nicotine exposure.
To assess the progress of woundhealing we classified secreting, instable, inflamed
or necrotic wound conditions, which required a dressing after the tenth postoperative
day as impaired wound healing. For statistical analysis non-parametrical tests for
independent and dependent data were used.
Results
Ten of 25 smokers presented impaired wound healing compared to 4 of 25 nonsmokers.
The median cotinine level of smokers was 1964 (783/3963) ng/cc preoperatively and 432 (148/1695) ng/cc postoperatively. Nonsmokers had a preoperative cotinine level of 18 (7/37) ng/cc and 15 (4/34) ng/cc postoperatively. Smokers who developed impaired wound-healing showed higher
levels of cotinine pre- (2117 ng/cc) and especially postoperatively (485 ng/cc) compared to smokers with regular woundhealing (1614 ng/cc and 389 ng/cc). Both differences in cotinine levels were statistically significant (p=0.03 and p=0.02).
Conclusions
The data of the present study confirm the negative effect of smoking on wound healing
in patients undergoing breast reduction.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: March 12, 2007
Accepted:
August 28,
2006
Received:
March 16,
2006
Footnotes
☆This paper was presented on the 42nd Meeting of the Austrian Society of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgeons, Innsbruck, Austria, 2004 (2nd Prize of the Austrian society of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery.)
Identification
Copyright
© 2007 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
