Knüvener Lena Katharina, Kalverkamp Sebastian, Spillner Jan, Wallqvist Julia, Khader Wiam, Ziemann Sebastian, Schuler Julia, Mankaa Rose Nangah, Traverso Marzia, Grüßer Linda
Department of Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
Langenbecks Arch Surg. 2025 Jul 1;410(1):200. doi: 10.1007/s00423-025-03782-w.
Medical societies around the globe are searching for ways to decrease the environmental impacts of patient care. This pilot project aims to identify potentials for more sustainability in clinical routine by investigating the resource consumption of thoracic surgery patients.
This single-centre, observational, prospective pilot project was conducted at the RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Germany, from May 2023 to August 2023. Five patients with planned video-assisted-thoracoscopic surgery for removal of (suspected) lung cancer were included and followed throughout their treatment at the hospital. We recorded resource consumption for their direct care and investigated the share of disposable and reusable products and the packaging of disposable products. Additionally, we conducted a PubMed literature search on available life cycle assessments of the utilised products and investigated manufacturers' online information on sustainability aspects of their products.
An average of 1254 disposable (75%) and reusable (25%) products were used per patient throughout their hospital journey. Most disposable products' packaging contained plastic. We identified 30 publications that reported life cycle assessments. Manufacturers provided information on sustainability aspects for 10% of the products utilised.
In-hospital patient care is resource intensive. Disposable products outnumbered reusable products at every stage of the patient's journey and were mostly packaged in materials containing plastic. For the majority of products, no information concerning their environmental impact was accessible hampering informed purchasing choices by clinicians. Further efforts are essential to make environmental data available, leverage circular-economy systems, and ultimately decrease the environmental impacts of the healthcare sector.
全球医学协会都在寻找降低医疗护理对环境影响的方法。这个试点项目旨在通过调查胸外科手术患者的资源消耗情况，确定临床常规中提高可持续性的潜力。
这个单中心、观察性、前瞻性试点项目于2023年5月至2023年8月在德国亚琛工业大学医院进行。纳入了5例计划进行电视辅助胸腔镜手术以切除（疑似）肺癌的患者，并在其住院治疗期间全程跟踪。我们记录了他们直接护理的资源消耗情况，调查了一次性和可重复使用产品的份额以及一次性产品的包装情况。此外，我们在PubMed上搜索了关于所用产品现有生命周期评估的文献，并调查了制造商关于其产品可持续性方面的在线信息。
每位患者在整个住院期间平均使用1254件一次性（75%）和可重复使用（25%）产品。大多数一次性产品的包装含有塑料。我们找到了30篇报告生命周期评估的出版物。制造商为10%的所用产品提供了可持续性方面的信息。
住院患者护理资源密集。在患者就医的每个阶段，一次性产品的数量都超过可重复使用产品，并且大多用含塑料的材料包装。对于大多数产品，无法获取有关其环境影响的信息，这妨碍了临床医生做出明智的采购选择。必须进一步努力提供环境数据，利用循环经济系统，最终降低医疗保健部门对环境的影响。
