Anesthesia and its environmental impact: approaches to minimize exposure to anesthetic gases and reduce waste

Abstract

In today’s era of modem healthcare, the intersection between medical practices and environmental responsibility has gained significant attention. One such area of focus is the practice of anesthesia, which plays a crucial role in various surgical procedures. Anesthetics such as nitrous oxide and volatile halogenated ethers (desflurane, isoflurane, sevoflurane) are examples of medical gases that are strong greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. During medical procedures, most of these anesthetic agents are released into the atmosphere, which exacerbates their influence on the environment. Also anesthesia delivery systems have traditionally utilized high flow rates of gases, leading to not only excessive consumption but also a considerable environmental impact in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. However, the emergence of low-flow anesthesia (LFA) presents a promising solution for achieving emission reduction and cost savings, thereby aligning healthcare practices with sustainability goals. Understanding LFA involves the administration of anesthetic gases to patients at reduced flow rates compared to conventional high-flow methods. This practice requires precision in gas delivery, often incorporating advanced monitoring and control systems. By optimizing gas flow to match the patient’s requirements, LFA minimizes wastage and excessive gas release into the environment, subsequently curbing the carbon footprint associated with healthcare operations. Decreasing volatile anesthetic delivery provides safe and effective strategies for anesthesia providers to decrease costs and reduce environmental pollution. Current literature support in favor of LFA represents an area of cost containment and an opportunity to lessen the environmental impact of anesthesia. This article will cover the concept of LFA, the distinctions between low flow and minimal flow, and the potential advantages of LFA, such as those related to patient safety, the environment, and the economy.