The Impact of Smoking on Sacrocolpopexy Perioperative Outcomes: An Observational Study

Tobacco smoke is a modifiable risk factor that surgeons discuss with patients prior to undergoing sacrocolpopexy or mesh revision surgery.

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of smoking on perioperative outcomes after sacrocolpopexy for pelvic organ prolapse and mesh revision repair.

This was a retrospective cohort study of data obtained from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Project's database. Women who underwent surgery for pelvic organ prolapse via abdominal sacrocolpopexy (ASCP) or minimally invasive sacrocolpopexy (MISCP) or prolapse mesh revision surgery from 2011 to 2021 were identified and compared based on current tobacco use. Demographic, medical, and surgical history, as well as intraoperative and 30-day perioperative outcomes, were compared. Multivariate analysis was performed.

Overall, 21,980 women underwent MISCP (8.60% smokers) and 3,775 underwent ASCP (8.74% smokers). Postoperative wound infections were more common after sacrocolpopexy in patients who smoked. Readmission after MISCP was more common in smokers. The composite perioperative morbidity score was different between smokers and nonsmokers for MISCP ( P  = 0.001) and ASCP ( P  = 0.002). Multivariate analyses of MISCP outcomes found an association between smoking and wound infection, readmission, and composite score. Multivariate analyses of ASCP outcomes found an association between smoking and wound infection. Overall 2,160 patients underwent mesh removal by any modality (16.57% smokers), and no difference in perioperative outcomes between smokers and nonsmokers for mesh removal was found.

An association was found between tobacco smoking and wound infection as well as other postoperative complications. Tobacco use prior to a mesh excision procedure does not appear to increase perioperative outcomes.