Interventions to Reduce Surgical Waste Burden: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Healthcare Management
• Surgical Innovation

Background:

• Operating suites generate substantial waste, pollution, and costs.
• Surgeons play a key role in mitigating the environmental impact of surgical procedures.
• Implementing sustainable strategies is crucial for healthcare systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review literature on interventions aimed at reducing surgical waste.
• To identify strategies for decreasing the environmental impact of operating rooms.
• To explore methods for reducing operational costs in surgery.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase databases.
• Inclusion of studies reporting interventions to reduce operative waste (emissions, energy, trash).
• Exclusion of case reports, opinion pieces, reviews, and meta-analyses; quality assessment using MINORS and Jadad scales.

Main Results:

• 13 studies (Level I-III evidence) met inclusion criteria.
• Interventions included provider education, instrument setup, single-use item management, and technique changes.
• Seven studies reported significant reductions in disposable surgical waste and seven in costs.

Conclusions:

• Surgical waste reduction initiatives effectively decrease waste volume, cost, and carbon emissions.
• Minimal surgical packs in plastic surgery reduced waste and cost while maintaining patient satisfaction.
• These findings support the implementation of waste-reduction strategies in surgical settings.