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Home / Equine Research Bank / Sci Rep / Inhalational anaesthetic agent consumption within a multidis...
Scientific reports2024; 14(1); 17973; doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-68157-5

Inhalational anaesthetic agent consumption within a multidisciplinary veterinary teaching hospital: an environmental audit.

Abstract: Inhalational anaesthetic agents are routinely used in veterinary anaesthesia practices, yet their consumption contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impact. We conducted a 55-day observational study at a veterinary teaching hospital in Switzerland, monitoring isoflurane and sevoflurane consumption across small, equine and farm animal clinics and analysed the resulting environmental impact. Results revealed that in total, 9.36 L of isoflurane and 1.27 L of sevoflurane were used to anaesthetise 409 animals across 1,489 h. Consumption rates varied among species, with small and farm animals ranging between 8.7 and 13 mL/h, while equine anaesthesia exhibited a higher rate, 41.2 mL/h. Corresponding to 7.36 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in total environmental emissions or between 2.4 and 31.3 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent per hour. Comparison to human anaesthesia settings showed comparable consumption rates to small animals, suggesting shared environmental implications, albeit on a smaller scale. This research highlights the importance of continued evaluation of veterinary anaesthesia practices to balance patient safety with environmental stewardship; potential mitigation strategies are explored and discussed.
© 2024. The Author(s).
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Publication Date: 2024-08-02 PubMed ID: 39095518PubMed Central: PMC11297182DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-68157-5Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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The research article documents a study that observed the environmental impact of inhalational anesthetic agent usage in a veterinary teaching hospital in Switzerland, over a period of 55 days. The study revealed that the use of these agents significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.

Objective of the Research

  • The primary purpose of this research was to analyse and comprehend the environmental impact caused by the consumption of inhalational anaesthetic agents (isoflurane and sevoflurane) in veterinary practices. This study aimed to reveal the extent of greenhouse gas emissions produced by these agents, encouraging veterinary practitioners to consider how their consumption contributes to global warming.

Methodology of the Research

  • The researchers observed anaesthetic agent usage over 55 days in a Swiss veterinary teaching hospital.
  • The research focused on three types of clinics within the hospital: small animal, equine, and farm animal clinics. This allowed the study to compare the usage and environmental impact of the anesthetic agents across different species.

Results of the Research

  • Throughout the study, a total of 9.36 liters of isoflurane and 1.27 liters of sevoflurane were used to anaesthetise 409 animals over 1,489 hours.
  • The consumption rates of the anaesthetic agents varied depending on the animal species. Small and farm animal anesthesia ranged between 8.7 and 13 ml/h while equine anesthesia exhibited a higher rate of about 41.2 ml/h.
  • The resulting environmental emissions amounted to 7.36 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in total. This equivalently ranged between 2.4 and 31.3 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent per hour of anesthetic use.

Implications of the Research

  • These results illustrate that the use of inhalational anesthetic agents in veterinary practices can have a substantial impact on the environment, due to their contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.
  • When compared to human anesthesia settings, the consumption rates were found to be similar to small animals. Therefore, these environmental implications are not only limited to veterinary contexts.
  • The research emphasizes the importance of continued evaluation of veterinary anaesthesia practices in order to strike a balance between patient safety and environmental responsibility. It also suggests potential strategies to mitigate the environmental impact, which are discussed in the research article.

Cite This Article

APA
Elzahaby D, Mirra A, Levionnois OL, Spadavecchia C. (2024). Inhalational anaesthetic agent consumption within a multidisciplinary veterinary teaching hospital: an environmental audit. Sci Rep, 14(1), 17973. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-68157-5

Publication

Scientific reports
ISSN: 2045-2322
NlmUniqueID: 101563288
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 14
Issue: 1
Pages: 17973
PII: 17973

Researcher Affiliations

Elzahaby, Dany
  • Anaesthesiology and Pain Therapy Section, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. dany.elzahaby@unibe.ch.
Mirra, Alessandro
  • Anaesthesiology and Pain Therapy Section, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Levionnois, Olivier Louis
  • Anaesthesiology and Pain Therapy Section, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Spadavecchia, Claudia
  • Anaesthesiology and Pain Therapy Section, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Hospitals, Animal
  • Anesthetics, Inhalation / administration & dosage
  • Horses
  • Hospitals, Teaching
  • Switzerland
  • Isoflurane / administration & dosage
  • Humans
  • Sevoflurane / administration & dosage
  • Greenhouse Gases / analysis
  • Anesthesia, Inhalation / veterinary

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

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