Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Disposable and Reusable Laryngeal Mask Airways

Endobronchial Ultrasonography Versus Mediastinoscopy: A Single-Institution Cost Analysis and Waste Comparison

“…A variety of original articles in the surgery, medicine, and anesthesiology literature have focused on different aspects of the environmental impact of health care, such as waste generation [9][10][11], reusable versus disposable items [12][13][14], and life-cycle analyses [12,13]. Interestingly, reports also indicate that environmentally conscious practices are cost-effective [8,[15][16][17].…”

Potential for industrial ecology to support healthcare sustainability: Scoping review of a fragmented literature and conceptual framework for future research

“…Sustainability aspects of active pharmaceutical ingredients and compounds are related to production of these chemical products (Raymond, Slater, & Savelski, 2010;Van der Vorst, Dewulf, Aelterman, De Witte, & Van Langenhove, 2011;Van der Vorst et al, 2010) and their effects when released into the environment (Derksen, Rijs, & Jongbloed, 2004;Straub, 2016). The literature on reusable and disposable medical supplies includes comparative LCAs, for example, of disposable and reusable laryngeal mask airways (Eckelman, Mosher, Gonzalez, & Sherman, 2012) and of metered dose inhalers and electric nebulizers (Goulet, Olson, & Mayer, 2017). There is a paucity of literature on production of medical equipment, materials and manufacturing of implants and prosthetics, and mobility of patients and staff.…”

A national survey on attitudes and barriers on recycling and environmental sustainability efforts among Canadian anesthesiologists: an opportunity for knowledge translation

“…Life-cycle assessments have been applied to compare the environmental footprint of anesthetic pharmaceuticals, 27 processes, 28 and products. [29][30][31][32] Some examples of commonly used products, which may be found in both reusable and single-use alternatives within the same OR, include SGAs and sterile gowns. For both of these, tabulating resource utilization and financial costs over a product's life-cycle indicated the reusable option would be both environmentally and economically sustainable.…”

“…For both of these, tabulating resource utilization and financial costs over a product's life-cycle indicated the reusable option would be both environmentally and economically sustainable. 29,30 Most respondents indicated that the environmental impact of anesthesia is important and should inform clinical practice when choosing between products and processes that are otherwise equivalent in efficacy and patient outcomes. Nevertheless, most believed they have inadequate information to make environmentally friendly choices, which might be related to a relative paucity of formal education efforts on the topic.…”