Making anaesthesia environmentally sustainable

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4.4 % of global greenhouse gases are caused by the health sector.¹ And of the total emissions of hospitals, 2 % are due to volatile anaesthetics.² That doesn't sound too much at first. However, with 10,000 anaesthesia cases per year and an average use of volatile anaesthetics, the annual CO₂ footprint of these is equivalent to that of 200 average German citizens. ³

With the "Inhaled Anesthetic 2020 Challenge", the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) is calling for a 50 % reduction in carbon emissions from anaesthetics. The DGAI and the BDA are also addressing the issue. Together they have published a position paper with concrete recommendations for action.

Sources

The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change Policy Brief for Germany.
NHS Sustainable Development Unit.
Schuster et. Al (2020); A&I.

Implement low flow anaesthesia safely

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One of the central points for saving volatile anaesthetics is the consistent implementation of low- or minimal-flow anaesthesia. The advantages are clear and not only ecological:

Reduction of greenhouse gases
Cost reduction
Improving clinical outcomes

Information on the clinical background and use of low-flow anaesthesia can be found on the following website.

Lung protection through low flow anaesthesia

Rebreathing systems in anaesthesia

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Clinical practice shows that the use of low- and minimal-flow anaesthesia can be safely and easily integrated into daily routine. "The safety and technical performance of today's anaesthesia machines make low-flow, minimal-flow and metabolic-flow anaesthesia the procedures of choice". This is the conclusion of Bert Mierke, MD, and PD Christian Hönemann, MD, convinced low-flow advocates and authors of the booklet "Low-Flow, Minimal-Flow and Metabolic-Flow Anaesthesias - Clinical Techniques for the Use of Rebreather Systems".

This booklet contains further information and practical tips for the safe use of low flow anaesthesia.

Low-flow, minimal-flow and metabolic-flow anaesthesia: clinical techniques for the use of rebreathing systems

Download booklet (PDF)

PDF 1.61 MB

Schematic procedure of minimal flow anaesthesia

Download infographic (PDF)

PDF 1.67 MB

A sustainable approach to mitigating the environmental impact of inhaled anesthetics

Read the article (PDF)

How do we support you?

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As your specialist in acute care, we provide holistic support in the implementation of environmentally conscious anaesthesia - from modern anaesthesia equipment for the implementation of safe low-flow anaesthesia to analysis software for comprehensive analysis of gas consumption and decision support in the procurement of consumables.

Our anaesthesia machines support you with advanced technology, e.g. permanently high tightness of the breathing systems, intelligent humidity management, adequate gas and ventilation monitoring, sample gas return, as well as support in the efficient control of anaesthesia through assistance systems such as SmartPilot® View.

Anaesthesia workstations

Case Study: Significant Cost Savings for Anesthetic Gases

Watch how one hospital was able to reduce anesthetic waste by using the Low Flow Wizard technology. Taking it one step further, anesthetic-rich breathing gas which is continuously sampled for analysis during a case can be returned to the breathing system for ventilation instead of being directly wasted to the atmosphere. It’s just one other way Dräger anesthesia machines are designed to make a positive environmental impact.