ACL & Knee Ligaments · Arthroscopic Knee Reconstruction

Smoking Increases the Risk of Complications After ACL Surgery

Why nicotine compromises graft healing and what the orthopedic literature says about smoking cessation before ACL reconstruction.

By Ashvin K. Dewan, MDPublished February 22, 2016Reviewed May 16, 2026

Although it has been well known for some time that smoking increases the risk of complication in other orthopedic surgeries, a study recently published by Cancienne, et al. established the risk smoking poses for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Using a comprehensive national insurance database sampling from across the country, the outcome of ACL reconstruction in a total of 1,659 patients with documented tobacco use were compared to 11,699 matched control non-smokers. They found

ACL reconstruction in patients who use tobacco is associated with significantly increased rates of infection, VTE, and subsequent ACL reconstruction compared with controls.

Check out their article here: http://ajs.sagepub.com/content/44/1/99.abstract

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Arthroscopic Knee Reconstruction

Ligament & cartilage restoration

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Educational content, not medical advice. This article is provided for patient education and does not replace individualized evaluation by a board-certified orthopedic surgeon. For a personalized opinion on your imaging and symptoms, request a visit with Dr. Dewan or call (281) 690-4678.

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