Long-Term Particulate Matter Exposure and Prolonged Length of Stay After Surgery-A Novel Association.

Summary: Did you know that the air you breathe at home could affect how fast you leave the hospital after an operation? A new study looked at almost 2,000 people who had colon surgery. They found that patients who lived in areas with more air pollution (tiny dust particles called PM2.5) had to stay in the hospital longer. The dirty air didn't seem to cause extra complications or make them come back to the hospital, but it did slow down their recovery time. This shows that clean air is very important for healing!