Dr Guy Stanley¹

¹Fiona Stanley Hospital, University of Western Australia, Western Australia

Abstract:

INTRODUCTION: Climate change is an existential threat to public health. Burns surgery contributes to waste and energy use primarily through theatre resource use. The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons recommends using the 5Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rethink, and Research to identify causes and solutions. This study discusses a range of procedural, behavioural and logistical changes to reduce the impact of burns surgery.

METHODS: A literature search was conducted in May 2022 on the Medline and Embase databases for studies that reported any environmental impact measures by surgery and anaesthesia, including the search terms “burn”, “surgery”, “operating”, “theatre”, “green”, “sustain”, and “environment”. Themes of sustainability were summarised according to the 5Rs.

RESULTS: There were no specific peer-reviewed studies related to burns surgery. Measures to REDUCE waste include increased alcohol gel disinfection of hands to reduce water consumption, low energy light bulbs, and reduction of instrument overprovision. Actions to REUSE include increased use of remanufactured single-use devices. Processes to RECYCLE include programs to separate clinical from “hazardous” waste and sharps from glass. Ideas to RETHINK transport emissions include increasing telemedicine and absorbable sutures to reduce return appointments. Studies to improve RESEARCH include audits -like the Streamlining Theatre equipment And Resources (STAR) project in Western Australia.

CONCLUSION: There is an imperative for organisations and individuals to make burn surgery environmentally sustainable. Audit processes may provide the most readily available tools to quantify resource use and demonstrate improvement over time.

Biography:

Surgical registrar at Fiona Stanley Hospital