Paving the way to environment-friendly greener anesthesia

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Anesthesiology
• Green Chemistry

Background:

• Operating rooms are significant sources of hospital pollution, primarily from anesthetic gases.
• Inhalational agents like nitrous oxide are potent greenhouse gases, impacting both indoor and outdoor environments.
• Nitrous oxide has a long atmospheric half-life and contributes to ozone layer depletion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the environmental impact of anesthetic agents.
• To compare inhalational anesthesia with propofol-based intravenous anesthesia regarding environmental effects.
• To advocate for greener anesthesia practices.

Main Methods:

• This narrative review examines pharmacological and pharmacokinetic data.
• It discusses clinical applications of anesthetic agents.
• The review analyzes the environmental merits of propofol-based anesthesia versus inhalational methods.

Main Results:

• Inhalational anesthetic agents, particularly nitrous oxide, contribute to environmental pollution and climate change.
• Intravenous anesthesia, primarily using propofol, presents a significantly lower environmental impact.
• Shifting to intravenous techniques can reduce the carbon footprint associated with anesthesia.

Conclusions:

• Anesthesiologists have a crucial role in mitigating environmental pollution through agent selection.
• Adopting propofol-based intravenous anesthesia is a key strategy for achieving sustainable anesthesia practices.
• Increased awareness and utilization of intravenous anesthesia modalities promote a greener healthcare system.