Anaesthetists warned of global warming
Friday July 2nd, 2010
Anaesthetics in a busy hospital will contribute as much to global warming as hundreds of cars every year, researchers warned last night.
Three inhaled gases, sevoflurane, isoflurane and desflurane are greenhouse gases and one of them desflurane stays in the atmosphere for ten years, according to a report in Anesthesia & Analgesia, the journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society.
Anesthesiologist Dr Susan Ryan, of the University of California, and computer scientist Claus Nielsen, of the University of Oslo, say there has been little analysis of these gases because they have been regarded as medically essential and exempt.
They say anaesthetics in most hospitals will have an environmental impact comparable to between 100 and 1,200 cars a year.
They call for the development of technology to capture anaesthetic gases for re-use.
Meanwhile anaesthetists can seek to minimise their use and prevent waste, they say.
Journal editor Dr Steven Shafer added: "Inhaled anaesthetics are 'greenhouse gases' that facilitate the trapping of solar energy and contribute to global warming.
"This study calculates how much inhaled anaesthetics contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, and offers specific suggestions about how anaesthesiologists can reduce the impact of anesthesia care on global warming."
Anesthesia & Analgesia July 2010
Tags: Europe | General Health | North America | World Health
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