Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41555366›Full record

ArticleJournal of orthopaedic surgery and research2026

Cannabis and nicotine use are independently associated with adverse surgical, medical, and psychosocial outcomes following upper extremity fracture fixation.

Christopher D Hamad, Nora A Galoustian, Joshua Wiener, Nick Yusin, Timothy Liu, Thomas Olson, Paul Walker, Soroush Shahamatdar, Michelle Nwufo, Autreen Golzar and 4 more

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Article in Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Christopher D HamadDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. chamad@mednet.ucla.edu.
Nora A GaloustianDavid Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Joshua WienerDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Nick YusinUniversity of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Timothy LiuDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Thomas OlsonDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Paul WalkerDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Soroush ShahamatdarDavid Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Michelle NwufoDavid Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Autreen GolzarDavid Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
David C KaelberPopulation and Quantitative Health Sciences, Case Western Reserve University and The Center for Clinical Informatics Research and Education, The MetroHealth System, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Nicholas M BernthalDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Christopher LeeDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
William L SheppardDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMarijuana use is rising in the United States, yet its impact on perioperative outcomes remains poorly understood, particularly in orthopaedic trauma where cessation is often not feasible. This study evaluates the risks associated with cannabis and nicotine use in patients undergoing fixation of upper extremity fractures.

methodsWe performed a retrospective analysis of adult trauma patients with upper extremity fractures (2015-2023) identified using CPT codes for surgical fixation in the TriNetX database. Four cohorts were defined: cannabis-only users (n = 801), nicotine-only users (n = 14,310), concurrent users (n = 901), and non-users matched 1:1 to each exposure cohort. Propensity score matching was applied to each pairwise comparison. Primary outcomes were surgical and medical complications; secondary outcomes included new postoperative psychosocial diagnoses (anxiety, depression, opioid use disorder, and chronic pain) and coagulation parameters. Binary outcomes were compared using absolute risk differences, risk ratios, odds ratios, and 95% confidence intervals; continuous outcomes with independent t-tests, all assessed within 1 year following surgery.

resultsCannabis-only users had significantly higher rates of implant-related infection, reoperation, readmission, depression, and anxiety compared with non-users (p < 0.05). Nicotine-only users demonstrated higher odds ratios in most overlapping outcomes and showed significantly elevated rates across a broader range of complications, including superficial and deep infection, nonunion or malunion, wound dehiscence, pneumonia, chronic pain, mortality, and psychosocial complications. Concurrent users did not demonstrate additive risk compared with cannabis-only users.

conclusionCannabis and nicotine use were independently associated with increased postoperative complications following fixation of upper extremity fractures compared with matched non-user controls. The absence of statistically significant additive effects may reflect limited power to detect modest interactions, overlapping biological mechanisms, or a true absence of synergy. These findings support standardized screening, risk stratification, and targeted perioperative strategies, including extended antibiotic prophylaxis and integrated psychosocial support, to reduce complications in this at-risk population.

Indexed as

Fracture FixationFractures, BoneMarijuana UseNicotinePostoperative ComplicationsUpper ExtremityAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesNicotineCannabisNicotineOrthopaedic traumaPostoperative complicationsPropensity score matchingUpper extremity fractures

Identifiers

PMID41555366
PMCPMC12903482

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