TP6.2.26 Innovations Towards Achieving Environmentally Sustainable Operating Theatres: A Systematic Review

The NHS accounts for 5.4% of the UK’s total carbon foot print, with the perioperative environment being the most resource hungry aspect of the hospital. The aim of this systematic review was to assimilate the published studies concerning the sustainability of the perioperative environment, focusing on the impact of implemented interventions. Methods A systematic review was performed using Pubmed, OVIC, Embase, Cochrane database of systematic reviews and Medline. Original manuscripts describing interventions aimed at improving operating theatre environmental sustainability were included. Results 648 abstracts were screened with 33 manuscripts included. Studies were divided into broad themes; recycling and waste management, waste reduction, reuse, reprocessing or life cycle analysis, energy and resource reduction and anaesthetic gases. This review summarises the interventions identified and their resulting effects on theatre sustainability. Discussion This systematic review has identified simple, yet highly effective interventions across a variety of themes that can lead to improved environmental sustainability of surgical operating theatres. Combining these interventions will likely result in a synergistic improvement to the environmental impact of surgery.