Editorial Commentary : Tobacco or Not—All Nicotine Products Negatively Impact Rotator Cuff Surgery

Rotator cuff repair is one of the most common elective orthopaedic surgeries performed; however, failure rates have been reported to range from 10% to 94% depending on the tear characteristics and other patient risk factors. One of the most common risk factors for failure is tobacco use. However, despite decreasing rates of tobacco use in recent years, the use of nontobacco-based nicotine products has become more commonplace, particularly in younger populations. The impact of these newer nicotine delivery products on orthopaedic surgery has been a topic of recent interest but minimally explored in the realm of rotator cuff surgery. It is imperative that our knowledge of risk factors for surgical complications evolves linearly with the socioeconomic and lifestyle factors that impact our public health sector.