Is It Time for Low-Flow Anesthesia? Gone Green Yet?

Several articles are being published highlighting contributions of various health care sectors to global warming.¹  The articles mention that while the health care sector is not the highest polluter, it is still a significant contributor to the carbon footprint. From manufacturing and acquisition of medical supplies to keeping the power running in hospitals for patient care, every aspect of the industry has been identified as a contributor to this carbon footprint. Current data suggest the U.S. health care sector contributes 10 percent of the nation’s greenhouse effect. Anesthetic gases have been identified as a contributor of both hydrofluorocarbon and chlorofluorocarbon, but these gases are not included in the Paris Climate Accord, Kyoto or Montreal protocols because patient care comes first. Inhalation agents like nitrous oxide and isoflurane are included in the list of essential medications by the World Health Organization. While these medical gases are not bound by the...