Is environmental sustainability compatible with patient safety?

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Healthcare Sustainability
• Anesthesiology

Background:

• Operating rooms are significant contributors to climate change, posing risks to public health.
• Current operating room practices generate substantial energy consumption and hospital waste.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the environmental impact of operating room practices.
• To identify sustainable modifications in anesthesia care without compromising patient safety.

Main Methods:

• Review of clinical practices in operating rooms.
• Analysis of energy consumption and waste generation in surgical settings.
• Evaluation of anesthetic agents and supply management strategies.

Main Results:

• Operating rooms account for significant energy use and 33% of hospital waste.
• Modifications such as eliminating desflurane, optimizing fresh gas flows, and using total intravenous anesthesia can reduce environmental impact.
• Reprocessing durable supplies instead of using disposables minimizes solid waste.
• Patient safety is not adversely affected by these sustainable changes.

Conclusions:

• Understanding the environmental impact of current practices is crucial for developing sustainable anesthesia care.
• New techniques and materials can enhance the sustainability of anesthesia without compromising patient safety.