Towards zero carbon healthcare: anaesthesia

What you need to knowSevoflurane and isoflurane have smaller atmospheric impacts than desflurane and nitrous oxideIntravenous anaesthetic agents have minimal atmospheric impacts, but drug waste and urinary excretion of drugs and metabolites causes pollution in soil and ground waterNitrous oxide is a common cause of medication waste and greenhouse gas emissions due to leaks in supply systems, over-ordering, and unused gas in cylinders returned to suppliers being vented to the atmosphereCase 1—A 30 year old woman attends the obstetric anaesthetic clinic at 36 weeks’ gestation. This is her first pregnancy. The baby was in the breech position, and, after an unsuccessful attempt to turn the baby, she has been offered the option of planning for a vaginal delivery or a caesarean section. The anaesthetist discusses the anaesthetic and analgesic options for both and reassures the patient that all options appropriate to the mode of delivery are safe. Her priority is…
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