Plastic surgery - rapid cotinine test to detect smokers
Date Updated : 21/08/2009

Smoking is recognised as the most important preventable cause of post-operative complications. Complications which include respiratory infections, cardiovascular distress and poor wound healing.

Smokers also have a greater risk of intraoperative pulmonary and circulatory distress.

These factors increases their risk of being admitted to ICU and also increase their return rate to outpatients because of problems.

These problems include increased risk of hospital-acquired infection and venous thrombosis.

Monitoring smoking with Smokescreen at pre-admission has been shown to identify a high percentage (26%) who enied smoking and helped reduce complications (Payne).

Six to eight weeks abstinence from smoking is ideal time to prevent complications.

Higher cotinine values identifies heavier smokers who have greater risk of complications.

Smoking cessation advice prior to surgery is cost effective - with an approximate save of £313 per patient with an expenditure of £196.

Following sucessful research a number of NHS Plastic Surgery Departments have adopted SmokeScreen to identify smokers at pre-admission.