A new study from Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor has revealed that switching to less-polluting inhaled anesthetic agents can reduce emissions by 50% in just one year, according to a Feb. 20 news release.
Here are six notes on health systems switching to “green” anesthesia:
1. Climate emissions in healthcare come from waste management, single-use plastics and emissions related to transportation and food service, as well as anesthetic gases.
2. The Michigan study found that switching to climate-friendly alternatives does not compromise patient safety or outcomes.
3. The findings were part of Michigan’s green anesthesia initiative, launched in March 2022. The initiative aimed to reduce the use of nitrous oxide, use less environmentally harmful inhaled fluorinated ethers, and increase the use of intravenous anesthetics.
4. During the study, the team looked at non-harmful gases, their carbon dioxide output levels, the amount of anesthetic used and patient outcomes such as post-surgery nausea and vomiting, pain scores, and unintended awareness and recall of the surgery. There were no changes in measured depth of anesthesia, pain scores, or postoperative nausea and vomiting.
5. The state of Washington has proposed a similar study, with lawmakers considering allocating $840,000 to the state’s Department of Ecology to study the impact of anesthesia gas on the environment. The department would be required to produce a report in 2027 with recommendations for anesthesia gas regulation.
6. A number of health systems nationwide have also taken steps to cut out pollutant anesthetic gas in the last year. Notable systems include Norfolk, Va.-based Sentara Health and Philadelphia-based Penn Medicine.
