Mask induction of anesthesia for pediatric patients has included the use of nitrous oxide since the inception of pediatric anesthesia. However, the use of nitrous oxide precludes adequate preoxygenation. Additionally, pediatric physiology (less Functional Residual Capacity, higher oxygen consumption), increased risk of laryngospasm and lack [...]
A shift in practice by anaesthetists away from anaesthetic gases with high global warming potential towards lower emission techniques (e.g. total intravenous anaesthesia) could result in significant carbon savings for the health system. The purpose of this qualitative interview study was to understand anaesthetists’ perspectives [...]
Many clinicians, concerned about climate change, have focussed their attention onto single-use medical items, given the large amounts of waste they produce. Since the 1990s, the use of single-use items has swelled due to infection control concerns, especially due to the emergence of variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob [...]
Nitrous oxide is a useful inhaled analgesic. Due to its high global warming potential and ozone-depleting properties, the nitrous oxide emissions related to health care are being increasingly scrutinized. In this narrative review, we will discuss the clinical uses of nitrous oxide relevant to anesthetists, [...]
Our global medical culture has driven excessive diagnostic testing, overmedicalisation, and overtreatment across many conditions that may harm patients, exhaust healthcare resources, and harm the planet. The authors call upon local, national, and international decision makers to more prominently and openly acknowledge these issues and [...]
The GWP100 for desflurane of 2540 and its long atmospheric lifetime of up to 14yr make it a potent greenhouse gas. Amongst all the volatile anaesthetic agents, desflurane has the largest greenhouse gas impact with its GWP100 being five-fold greater than that of isoflurane, 10-fold [...]
Editorial associated with the recommendations for professional practice of the Société Française d’Anesthésie et Réanimation (SFAR), the Société Française d’Hygiène Hospitalière (SF2H), and the Société Française de Pharmacie Clinique (SFPC) guidelines for reducing the environmental impact of general anaesthesia. *French language
The need for LHDs to prepare for the effects of climate change and implement whole-of-system responses at the local level are emerging. Our rapid review found a relatively small number of studies that explored the impacts of climate change on health and health services. Most [...]
Operating theatres are amongst the most important carbon-contributing areas of hospitals. Several interventions are known to reduce the carbon footprint of healthcare, but the means of achieving that rapidly and effectively remains unknown. The authors found that there are no reports of fully scaled implementation [...]
Critical care is resource intensive, using large amounts of energy, pharmaceuticals, and single-use consumables, all of which potentially have a harmful impact on the environment. We can view environmental sustainability in critical care via the framework: avoid, reduce, reuse, recycle, rethink, and research. Reducing the [...]