Miguel Saldaña, surgeon: “If you have been told in the days leading up to your surgery to stop smoking, my advice is the opposite”

In medical circles, tobacco has long been treated as one of those foes best avoided, especially when someone is preparing for surgery. If the patient is a smoker, the guidance is typically straightforward: stop smoking.

Yet that recommendation isn’t universally accepted among clinicians. That’s the case for Miguel Saldaña, a surgeon and content creator who posted a short TikTok video explaining why he doesn’t advise his patients to quit smoking in the days or weeks leading up to an operation.

“If you’ve been told to stop smoking in the days before your surgery, my advice is the opposite,” he begins, before laying out his reasoning. “When someone quits smoking, two immediate problems appear.” The first, he says, is withdrawal: they’re already anxious about the surgery, and the lack of nicotine makes them even more on edge.

“The second problem is that during the weeks after quitting, people cough a lot. The lungs are clearing themselves and producing a lot of secretions. Coughing increases discomfort after the operation,” he adds. Since, he says, no surgeon wants a patient who is “constantly coughing,” he’s clear about his approach: “They’ll quit smoking after the surgery.”

Support from users

The video, which has racked up nearly three thousand views, around eighty likes and dozens of comments within hours, has drawn attention from people who not only back the surgeon’s message but also take the time to praise how he expresses it.

“I love how clearly you explain things,” “He’s a master, doctor,” “How interesting — I’d never thought about that,” “So understanding,” and “I agree with you, doctor” are just some of the reactions posted under the clip.

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