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Environmental sustainability in orthopaedic surgery : a scoping review
Kar May Phoon1, Irrum Afzal1, David H Sochart1
1South West London Elective Orthopaedic Centre, Epsom, UK.
Bone & Joint Open
|August 15, 2022
Summary
Orthopaedic surgery significantly impacts the environment through waste and emissions. Implementing sustainable practices, like improved waste management and reduced resource use, is crucial for reducing the carbon footprint of this surgical field.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science & Public Health
- Surgical Innovation & Sustainability
Background:
- The UK's National Health Service (NHS) contributes significantly to national carbon emissions (4-5%) and generates substantial waste annually.
- Limited evidence exists on the principles and benefits of environmental sustainability specifically within orthopaedic surgery.
- Orthopaedic surgery's environmental impact necessitates analysis and the development of sustainable initiatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the environmental impact of orthopaedic surgery.
- To identify and evaluate environmentally sustainable initiatives within the field.
- To describe barriers hindering the implementation of sustainable changes in orthopaedic surgery.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search conducted using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.
- Databases searched included EMBASE, Medline, and PubMed.
- Search terms combined 'orthopaedic surgery' and 'environmental sustainability'.
Main Results:
- Thirteen studies were analyzed, focusing on waste management, resource consumption, and carbon emissions.
- Waste segregation is a major issue, with up to 74.4% hazardous waste generated; however, up to 43.9% of waste per procedure is recyclable, particularly in large joint arthroplasties.
- Key barriers to sustainable change include inadequate infrastructure and insufficient education/training.
Conclusions:
- Environmental sustainability in orthopaedic surgery is an emerging field with significant potential for positive impact.
- Further research is needed to comprehensively assess the carbon footprint and the effectiveness of sustainable interventions.
- Addressing infrastructure and training barriers is essential for advancing sustainability in orthopaedic practice.
Keywords:
Carbon emissionCarbon footprintEnvironmental impactEnvironmental sustainabilityEnvironmentally sustainable changesMedlineOrthopaedic surgeryResource consumptionWaste managementcarbonfemoroacetabular impingementhand surgeryjoint arthroplastiesopen reduction internal fixation (ORIF)orthopaedic surgerytelemedicinetotal hip arthroplasties (THAs)total knee arthroplasties (TKAs)
