Association between Reusable Anesthesia Circuits and Hospital Waste Reduction, Cost Savings, and Environmental Impact: A Quality Improvement Study.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-2025

Institution/Department

Anesthesiology

Journal Title

Perioper Care Oper Room Manag

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Anesthesia services are a major contributor to healthcare sector greenhouse gas emissions. Interventions aimed to reduce waste are necessary. Reusable anesthesia circuits offer a sustainable alternative to single-use circuits. Their adoption in the United States remains limited. The objective of this project was to evaluate the feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and environmental impact of using FDA-approved reusable anesthesia circuits.

METHODS: Supported by the SMART QI framework, we evaluated the impact of switching to reusable circuits on elective electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) procedures. We measured waste generation, room preparation times, material costs, and projected system wide financial and greenhouse gas emissions impact. Greenhouse gas emissions were estimated using the Practice Greenhealth Scope 3 Emissions Accounting Tool. Descriptive statistics compared pre- and post-intervention outcomes, with statistical significance at p < 0.05.

RESULTS: We compared 185 ECT procedures: 98 single-use from pre-intervention and 87 reusable circuits from post-intervention. Preparation times did not change. Daily waste from reusable circuits was significantly lower than single-use circuits (99.2g vs. 357.2g, p < 0.001). Cost analysis revealed 40% reduction in median per-case expenditures with reusable circuits ($4.30 vs. $8.50 per patient, p < 0.001).Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions per procedure decreased nearly 50% (1.09 kgCO

DISCUSSION: Reusable anesthesia circuits can significantly reduce hospital waste, lower costs, and decrease carbon emissions without compromising procedural efficiency.

ISSN

2405-6030

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS