The Importance of Quitting Smoking Before Bariatric Surgery

Bariatric surgery is life changing. It is one of the biggest decisions you will make during your lifetime. As a result, you will want to do all you can to ensure it goes well and you get the results you want and deserve.

One of the most important steps to take is to stop smoking before bariatric surgery. Doing so is not just good for you, but it may be critical to your ability to achieve an optimal outcome.

Smoking Complicates Bariatric Surgery

There are many reasons why you should stop smoking, but before heading into bariatric surgery, quitting could be critical to your overall well being. At New Life Center for Bariatric Surgery in Knoxville, our patients are required to stop smoking before surgery.

Here are important reasons why:
• Smoking makes you more likely to suffer surgical complications during the procedure. This includes a much higher risk of pulmonary complications.
• Smoking makes anesthesia more complicated. One of the biggest risk factors for those going into a procedure like this is that you’ll need different medications to improve blood flow to your lungs.
• Your heart has to work much harder. You are at a bigger risk for health complications, such as blood clots, blood pressure irregularities, and heart rate changes, including some life-threatening arrhythmias, if you smoke before your procedure.
• It takes much longer for your wounds to heal. When you are smoking, your blood vessels are much smaller, making it harder for blood to flow to areas to help with the healing process.
• There is also a higher risk of complications from infections. The lack of good circulation could hamper your ability to heal.

Smoking makes it much harder for blood to flow through your blood vessels. That means every process with a procedure like this is going to be more complicated.

Are You Ready to Make a Change?

The good news is that bariatric surgery is a great time for you to have the motivation to stop smoking. If you’re ready to make a change and live a new life, the first step is to watch or attend our free Bariatric Seminar. Visit our INFO SESSIONS webpage to register today!