Doctors warn of alcohol risk to patients facing surgery - The Guardian 4th January 2008

Patients due for surgery should control the amount of alcohol they drink beforehand, doctors have warned. A new study shows drinking even moderate amounts prior to surgery could slow down recovery and weaken the immune system. Claudia Spies, an intensive care specialist at the Charité University hospital in Berlin, said: "A significantly high rate of complications can develop in patients who consume alcohol at levels that are less than excessive."

Link to Article