title: Acute effects of cigarette smoking on microcirculation of the thumb.
abstract: The acute effect of smoking on the microcirculation of the skin of the thumb was investigated in healthy volunteers. Twenty-two were smokers and 10 were non-smokers. The flow was assessed by means of laser Doppler flowmetry. The smokers inhaled 2 cigarettes. During smoking of their first and second cigarette respectively, a mean decrease in laser Doppler flow of 23.8% and 29.0% was seen (p = 0.03; p = 0.01). Ten minutes after smoking this decrease was recovered by half. This experiment confirms that one should prohibit smoking of cigarettes pre- and postoperatively for optimal wound healing conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University Hospital, Dijkzigt, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: L N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: van Adrichem
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Hovius
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van Strik
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: van der Meulen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012907:Smoking / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D013933:Thumb / Q000098:blood supply*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology