Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Atrium Health Musculoskeletal Institute, Charlotte, NC.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Atrium Health Musculoskeletal Institute, Charlotte, NC; OrthoCarolina Hand Center, Charlotte, NC.
J Hand Surg Am. 2024 Sep;49(9):923-926. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2024.04.003. Epub 2024 May 23.
Health care systems, including operating rooms, are a considerable contributor to environmental waste. Given ongoing concerns regarding water scarcity in the United States and worldwide, action to reduce water utilization should be taken. Traditional water-based hand scrubbing wastes an estimated 11 L of water per scrub. Waterless hand rubbing with an alcohol-based solution has been shown to be as effective as traditional water-based hand scrubbing in surgical hand antisepsis and in preventing surgical site infections. Furthermore, alcohol-based rubbing results in less waste and reduced costs when compared with water-based hand scrubbing. The hand surgery operating room, including minor procedure rooms, serves as an opportunity to decrease water use and reduce the environmental impact of our field. Waterless alcohol-based hand rubbing for antisepsis may also be an opportunity to save money and provide value-based care to our patients.
医疗保健系统，包括手术室，是造成环境浪费的一个重要因素。考虑到美国和全球范围内持续存在的水资源短缺问题，应该采取行动来减少用水量。传统的水基手洗每洗一次浪费约 11 升水。无水酒精搓手与传统的水基手洗相比，在手外科手术的手部消毒和预防手术部位感染方面同样有效。此外，与水基手洗相比，酒精搓手产生的废物更少，成本更低。手部外科手术室，包括小手术间，为减少用水量和降低我们这个领域的环境影响提供了机会。无水酒精手部消毒也可能是节省资金并为我们的患者提供基于价值的护理的机会。
