How we can reduce the environmental impact of our operating theatres: a narrative review
Details
Publication Year 2024-06,Volume 94,Issue #6,Page 1000-1010
Journal Title
ANZ Journal of Surgery
Publication Type
Review
Abstract
Climate change is projected to become the leading cause of adverse health outcomes globally, and the healthcare system is a key contributor. Surgical theatres are three to six times more pollutant than other hospital areas, and produce anywhere from a fifth to a third of total hospital waste. Hospitals are increasingly expected to make operating theatres more sustainable, however guidelines to improve environmental sustainability are lacking, and previous research takes a narrow approach to operative sustainability. This paper presents a narrative review that, following a 'review of reviews' approach, aims to summarize the key recommendations to improve the environmental sustainability of surgical theatres. Key domains of discussion identified across the literature included minimisation of volatile anaesthetics, reduction of operating theatre power consumption, optimisation of surgical approach, re-use and re-processing of surgical instruments, waste management, and research, education and leadership. Implementation of individual items in these domains has seen significant reductions in the environmental impact of operative practice. This comprehensive summary of recommendations lays the framework from which providers can assess the sustainability of their practice and for the development of encompassing guidelines to build an environmentally sustainable surgical service.
Keywords
*Operating Rooms/standards; Humans; Climate Change; Waste Management/methods; Surgical Instruments; anaesthetics; environment; review; surgery; sustainability; theatre
Department(s)
Surgical Oncology
PubMed ID
37985608
Open Access at Publisher's Site
https://doi.org/10.1111/ans.18770
Terms of Use/Rights Notice
Refer to copyright notice on published article.


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