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Effects of Marijuana Use in Elective Breast Surgery: A retrospective analysis
Henry B Huson MD, Kiersten C. Woodyard, MPH, Michael Zappa BS, Ermina Lee BS, Ryan Gobble MD
University of Cincinnati
2023-02-09
Presenter: Henry Huson
Affidavit:
The abstract submitted represents the original work of the resident submitting
Director Name: Ann Schwentker MD
Author Category: Resident Plastic Surgery
Presentation Category: Clinical
Abstract Category: Breast (Aesthetic and Recon.)
Background: Marijuana is the most prevalent recreational drug used in the United States and is available for medicinal prescription in 37 states. Health impact of marijuana has been examined in anesthetic and psychiatric disciplines but has not been investigated in association with surgical outcomes.
Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed for patients who received a breast reduction from 2013-2022. Data collection included demographics, comorbidities, perioperative data, outcomes, and chart documentation of regular marijuana use. Patients were considered to have peri-operative marijuana use if regular use was clinically documented within a year of surgery. Exclusion criteria included history of breast cancer, oncoplastic reduction, or tobacco use. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, t-tests, and Chi-squared analysis.
Results: 413 patients were identified who underwent breast reductions over the 9-year period. 53 (12.8%) had regular marijuana use clinically documented within a year of surgery. Patients with documented regular marijuana use had higher rates of complex wound development post-operatively (p=0.0025) and higher pooled complication rate (p=0.033) than patients who did not have documented use. There was no difference in average age, BMI, or resection weight between the two cohorts. However, there was no difference between cohorts for individual complications of OR return, infection, or seroma needing drainage.
Conclusions: Patients with regular marijuana use documented within a year had a higher pooled complication rate post-operatively and were more likely to develop a complex wound. With increasingly widespread use, further research is needed to elucidate the relationship between perioperative marijuana use and surgical outcomes.
