Smoking's Impact on 30-Day Complications in Mesh and Nonmesh Prolapse Surgery

Tobacco smoking is linked to poor surgical outcomes, leading many physicians to avoid synthetic implants like mesh in smokers due to concerns about impaired healing. While long-term outcomes for smokers have been studied, the effect of smoking on 30-day postoperative complications, especially related to surgical mesh, is less understood.

This study aimed to quantify the association between tobacco smoking and risk of postoperative infection, readmission, and reoperation within 30 days of minimally invasive apical prolapse repair. We also examined whether these associations differed based on whether mesh was used.

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database for patients who underwent minimally invasive apical pelvic organ prolapse repair from 2012 to 2022. Smoking in the last year was the exposure. Outcomes included postoperative infection, unplanned readmission, and reoperation within 30 days. We calculated adjusted risk ratios for complications and stratified results based on mesh use.

Of 67,235 cases, 5,518 (8.2%) patients smoked in the past year. Smokers had a significantly higher likelihood of infection and unplanned readmission. Smoking did not increase the risk of unplanned reoperation. The association between smoking and 30-day complications did not differ based on mesh use (all P for interaction ≥0.24).

Tobacco use was associated with an increase in postoperative complications within 30 days, though the absolute risk was low. There was no evidence of effect modification by mesh use; suggesting that mesh-augmented repairs could be considered in smokers who receive appropriate counseling.