Our over-reliance on single-use equipment in the operating theatre is misguided, irrational and harming our planet
Mahmood F. Bhutta
Abstract
Our over-reliance on single-use equipment in the operating theatre is misguided, irrational and harming our planetThe enormity of climate change can leave us feeling paralysed and uncertain where to direct our efforts, including how to reduce the environmental harms of healthcare.Many have enthusiastically asked me how they can start carbon footprinting aspects of care: I both encourage and discourage them.We can and should make approximations of environmental harm in what we do, but to accurately and comprehensively conduct a full life-cycle analysis of a product or process is a complex science, and in fact we already have enough evidence to know some of the principles we should follow.It is a fair approximation (and perhaps self-evident) that carbon footprint is proportional to the activity associated with a process or product.We can reduce activity in care pathways: for example through engaging with public health to prevent patients getting surgical disease, 1 using remote consultation to eliminate patient travel, 2 or minimising blood tests in the perioperative period. 3,4But of course, we will still be performing surgery, and in the operating theatre too we can have a big impact: in particular through reducing our reliance on single-use equipment.