Feasibility of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems in Surgical Patients

Introduction:
This text is a summary of a scientific study investigating the feasibility and acceptability of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) in the perioperative period among cigarette smokers scheduled for elective surgery. The study also explores how access to ENDS is associated with changes in cigarette consumption both preoperatively and up to 2 weeks following discharge from the surgical facility. The study provides important insights into the potential use of ENDS as a harm reduction strategy in the perioperative period.

Key Points:

* The study enrolled cigarette smokers scheduled for elective surgery who were evaluated in the Mayo Clinic Preoperative Evaluation Center.
* Participants were given a supply of ENDS to use prior to and 2 weeks after surgery and were encouraged to use them whenever they craved a cigarette.
* The study found that ENDS use was feasible in adult smokers scheduled for elective surgery and was associated with a reduction in perioperative cigarette consumption.
* At 30-day follow-up, 51% of those who had used ENDS planned to continue using them.
* Average cigarette consumption decreased from 15.6 per person/d to 7.6 over the study period.
* At 30 days, 17% of participants reported abstinence from cigarettes.
* The study suggests that ENDS may be a useful tool in helping smokers reduce or eliminate their smoking in the perioperative period.

Main Message:
The study provides evidence that ENDS use is feasible and well-accepted in surgical patients who smoke, and it is associated with a reduction in cigarette consumption. The study suggests that ENDS may be a useful harm reduction strategy in the perioperative period, although further research is needed to determine the long-term safety and efficacy of ENDS use in this population. Nonetheless, the study provides important insights into the potential use of ENDS in reducing perioperative risk, which could have significant implications for clinical practice.

Nolan, Margaret, Scott Leischow, Ivana Croghan, Sandeep Kadimpati, Andrew Hanson, Darrell Schroeder, and David O. Warner. “Feasibility of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems in Surgical Patients.” Nicotine & Tobacco Research 18, no. 8 (August 2016): 1757–62. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntw003.