The Michigan Society of Anesthesiologists (MSA) is warning that adolescents who use electronic cigarettes are at greater risk of respiratory complications before, during and after surgery. As students go back to school, MSA urges parents to speak with their children about the dangers of vaping as part of a public education effort to highlight the health risks associated with vaping by children and teens.
Use of e-cigarettes remains popular among youth despite their many negative health impacts. A 2022 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found 2.55 million U.S. middle and high school students reported current e-cigarette use, including more than 14% of high school students and 3% of middle school students.
Physician anesthesiologists are warning young patients and their families about the dangers that vaping poses to overall health, especially in surgical outcomes.
“We are committed to protecting patient safety and that includes educating the public and fellow health providers on the serious implications of adolescent vaping,” said Dr. Michael Lewis, Incoming President of the Michigan Society of Anesthesiologists.
Anesthesiologists make critical and lifesaving judgments when patients are intubated and under anesthesia. They diagnose and treat medical issues before, during and after medical procedures and anesthetics.
“As anesthesiologists, we see first-hand how vaping can harm lung function and lead to dangerous surgical complications,” said Dr. Rebecca Nause-Osthoff, Pediatric Anesthesiologist at Michigan Medicine. “It is crucial that physicians screen surgical patients for e-cigarette use before their procedures, and we urge kids, young adults and parents to get the facts about the dangers of vaping. Teens with vaping-related lung disease face a greater risk of complications, such as respiratory failure or reactive airway disease during and after surgery. It’s important patients and their parents understand that vaping can literally be a life and death decision.”
Every anesthetic — from light sedation to general anesthesia — carries significant risks and requires careful planning and proper administration, which is why it’s critical for a highly trained physician anesthesiologist to be informed of a patient’s full medical history, including the use of e-cigarettes.
“Anesthesiologists also work with individual patients and their families on specific perioperative management plans for e-cigarette users to support patients through challenging procedures, promote health outcomes and ultimately save lives,” said Lewis.
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