Protecting our patients’ future through perioperative sustainability: Action and advocacy for the pediatric surgeon
Topic overview
This article examines how pediatric surgeons can integrate sustainability practices into perioperative care to protect children's long-term health. It addresses actionable strategies for reducing operating room environmental impact and advocates for systemic changes in surgical practice to mitigate climate-related health risks.
Key takeaways
- Climate change directly threatens child health through heat illness, respiratory disease, and infectious disease spread.
- Operating rooms generate 20-30% of hospital waste; pediatric surgeons can reduce this through reusable instruments and waste segregation.
- Anesthetic gases like desflurane have high global warming potential; choosing sevoflurane or propofol reduces carbon footprint.
- Advocacy at institutional and policy levels amplifies individual sustainability efforts in pediatric surgical practice.
- Sustainable perioperative practices protect future generations while maintaining high-quality patient care today.
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How to cite: GlobalCastMD. Protecting our patients’ future through perioperative sustainability: Action and advocacy for the pediatric surgeon. GlobalCastMD Medical Library. 2025-08-01. https://library.globalcastmd.com/article/10746
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