Cannabis use is relatively common among patients thinking about getting plastic surgery and is linked to higher urine nicotine levels- even if they don’t smoke or use other nicotine-containing products. Researchers note that unknown nicotine exposure could increase the risk of postoperative complications. The corresponding study was published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
Cannabis is often, and sometimes unintentionally, combined with products that contain nicotine. This means that individuals may not accurately report nicotine usage during preoperative exams, posing a potential challenge to clinicians trying to identify preoperative exposure to the alkaloid. Such a lack of awareness may lead to postoperative complications, as nicotine can impair the healing of wounds. In the current study, researchers investigated cannabis and nicotine use in plastic surgery patients.
To do so, the researchers recruited 135 predominantly female patients with an average age of 38 years old seeking cosmetic plastic surgery. All patients were surveyed on their use of cannabis and nicotine and provided a urine sample for analysis. Altogether, 50% of patients did not use either substance, 19% actively used nicotine, 7% actively used cannabis, 13% actively used both, and 11% were past users.
The researchers found that cannabis users had higher levels of nicotine in their urine, even if they denied any nicotine use. However, while cannabis users had higher nicotine levels, they were not as high as those typical of patients who smoke or use other forms of nicotine.
The researchers additionally found that over two-thirds of patients who reported using cannabis and/ or nicotine did not mention these substances to their plastic surgeon, even though this group had nicotine levels similar to those of current cigarette smokers.
The study did not find an increased risk of surgical complications among cannabis users or those with higher levels of nicotine in their urine. The researchers noted, however, that the findings raise concern that associated risks may occur and that definitive studies on the effects of cannabis on surgical outcomes are needed.
Sources: EurekAlert, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
