No smoking post op - clarification

[23109VC]

I had my hip resurfaced three months ago by Dr. Gross.

In my paperwork from Dr. Gross it says to NOT use tobacco for six months after surgery.  My understanding was that the use of tobacco would slow down the healing process...  and since us uncemented folks are wanting LOTS of healing/growth to take place - doing anythign that slows that process down woudl be a bad idea.

I'm not a smoker.  so it's not a big deal to follow that instructions.  I've never smoked cigarettes... BUT once in a while I like to enjoy a nice cigar.  I had actually planned to fire up a celebratory cigar after my surgery.. but chose not too after I read the discharge paperwork. 

Before surgery I used to smoke maybe one cigar a month at most...  since my surgery I have stopped completely based on Dr. Gross's discharge paperwork which says NO TOBACCO.

I don't mind waiting another three months for that celebration cigar...  and honestly, it's been kind of good to go this long without smoking them.. I know that even a few here and there probably aren't good for me...  and maybe I'll choose to smoke them less often... but I do plan to have one here and there.. I enjoy them.  A nice cigar with my buddies and a glass of scotch is fun. 

So here is my question.  is the "ban" on tobacco post op - meant to deter people from *daily* tobacco use because prolonged use of tobacco would slow down the healing process... OR... is there some possiblity that even ONE cigarette/cigar/etc would somehow STOP the bone ingrowth in us uncemented folks????

just curious.....


any of you Dr. Gross patients "cheat" and smoke???  I hope not!!

[Tin Soldier]

Interesting.  I never heard that from my surgeon.  I'm not a smoker, but I to enjoy a cigar on the river with a good barleywine or whiskey.

The stuff I just saw on the internet, appears to be a rather simple matter.  Smoking constricts blood vessels, reduces blood flow, ....less calcium get's layed dow.  Areas that need more calcium, like a new hip, doens; get what it needs.  I also read that alkaline phosphatase, the Ca moving enzyme, increases with nitcotine.  I'd stick with the fact that blood flow is reduced and keep it simple.  I'm sure there is lots of complcated blood chemistry going on there, though, and everyone's chemistry is a little different.

The effects of smoking a cigar are very obvious on me, if my hands get cold from one cigar, I would be thinking about my hip.  If my hands are cold, then maybe my hip is not getting the nourishment it needs, even for a couple hours or even 30 minutes.  During that early recovery, I don't think I would want to limit even a little bit of nourishment to the hip. 

[23109VC]

Those were my thoughts.... I'm scheduling a good cigar in three more months! 

So did you enjoy a cigar after surgery or are you waiting too?  I'll bet one wouldn't hurt, but I'll avoid chancing it....

Boy will that cigar taste good at the six month post op point!

[Tin Soldier]

I haven't had a cigar since last summer when my bro-in-law visited.  I'm going to be on the river in central Oregon though in a few weeks and that would be a good time for a celebration stogie.  Cheers!