Marijuana Use Increases the Risk of Postoperative Bleeding in Patients Undergoing Abdominal Body Contouring

The legalization and changing perception of marijuana have led to a significant increase in its use. Although studies exploring marijuana's physiological effects have grown, its effect on surgical outcomes remains unclear. This study investigates the influence of marijuana consumption on postoperative complications in patients undergoing abdominal body contouring surgeries such as abdominoplasties and panniculectomies.

A retrospective chart review was conducted on patients who underwent abdominal body contouring procedures at an urban academic institution from 2016 to 2021. Data collected included demographic characteristics, marijuana consumption (active use, former use (last use 6 weeks prior to surgery), or never user), preoperative comorbidities, tobacco usage, operative characteristics, and postoperative complication data within 90 days.

A total of 815 patients were included, with 61 patients (7.5%) reporting active marijuana use, 31 patients (3.8%) reporting former marijuana use, and 723 (88.7%) reporting never using marijuana. The average age was 45.32 (SD 11.31), and the average BMI was 29.85 (SD 4.44). At the time of surgery, patients with any history of marijuana use had an increased risk of complications (OR=1.96; p = 0.006), and active marijuana users had a significantly higher risk of hematoma formation (OR = 3.02; p = 0.013).

Active marijuana use was significantly associated with an increased risk of postoperative hematoma formation following abdominal body contouring surgeries. These findings suggest the need for routine preoperative screening and tailored risk-reduction strategies for marijuana users.

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