Doctors at The University of Kansas Hospital help patients quit smoking to improve their chances of healing after spine surgery.
Many smokers are aware of the dangers of their habit, which include nicotine addiction, increased risk of lung cancer, higher rates of heart disease and decreased life expectancy. What they may not know is that smoking actually interferes with bone's ability to heal and grow stronger. That's a real issue for any smoker facing spine surgery.
"Smoking decreases blood circulation and inhibits the growth of new blood vessels into the area of new bone growth," said Douglas Burton, MD, Marc and Elinor Asher Spine Professor of orthopedic surgery. "It inhibits new bone formation and also delays the wound from healing, which could lead to infection."
Hear Dr. Burton discuss how smoking and nicotine affect the outcome of spine surgery. Right-click to download the audio file. 
Surgeons use spinal fusion to join vertebrae in the spine. Successful fusion counts on new bone growth to bridge the spinal segments. "If the bone does not heal, the surgery will fail," Dr. Burton said.
Urging patients to quit before surgery
Dr. Burton encourages all of his patients who smoke to quit before he operates. Although the health benefits are numerous, Dr. Burton pinpoints two: "Short term, better wound healing. Long term, better bone healing." To date, about 60 percent of his patients have remained smoke free.
When fusion works, the spine is stable. When the bones don’t fuse, the spine is weakened and any instrumentation that has been used to help stabilize the spine during surgery — rods, screws, or wires — could loosen and require further surgery. Studies have shown that smokers’ spinal fusions are more likely to fail.
"Our patients deserve every chance to heal," Dr. Burton added. "We are committed to doing everything we can to help them increase those odds and find better health."