Carbon footprint of atrial fibrillation catheter ablation.

AIMS: Climate change represents the biggest global health threat of the 21st century. Health care system is itself a large contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In cardiology, atrial fibrillation (AF) catheter ablation is an increasing activity using numerous non-reusable materials that could contribute to GHG emission. Determining a detailed carbon footprint analysis of an AF catheter ablation procedure allows the identification of the main polluting sources that give opportunities for reduction of environmental impact. To assess the carbon footprint of AF catheter ablation procedure. To determine priority actions to decrease pollution. METHODS AND RESULTS: An eco-audit method used to predict the GHG emission of an AF catheter ablation procedure was investigated. Two workstations were considered including surgery and anaesthesia. In the operating room, every waste produced by single-use medical devices, pharmaceutical drugs, and energy consumption during intervention were evaluated. All analyses were limited to the operating room. Thirty procedures were analysed over a period of 8 weeks: 18 pulmonary veins isolation RF ablations, 7 complex RF procedures including PVI, roof and mitral isthmus lines, ethanol infusion of the Marshall vein and cavo tricuspid isthmus line, and 5 pulmonary vein isolation with cryoballoon. The mean emission during AF catheter ablation procedures was 76.9 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-e). The operating field accounted for 75.4% of the carbon footprint, while only 24.6% for the anaesthesia workstation. On one hand, material production and manufacturing were the most polluting phases of product life cycle which, respectively, represented 71.3% (54.8 kg of CO2-e) and 17.0% (13.1 kg of CO2-e) of total pollution. On the other hand, transport contributed in 10.6% (8.1 kg of CO2-e), while product use resulted in 1.1% (0.9 kg of CO2-e) of GHG production. Electrophysiology catheters were demonstrated to be the main contributors of environmental impact with 29.9 kg of CO2-e (i.e. 38.8%). Three dimensional mapping system and electrocardiogram patches were accounting for 6.8 kg of CO2-e (i.e. 8.8% of total). CONCLUSION: AF catheter ablation involves a mean of 76.9 kg of CO2-e. With an estimated 600 000 annual worldwide procedures, the environmental impact of AF catheter ablation activity is estimated equal to 125 tons of CO2 emission each day. It represents an equivalent of 700 000 km of car ride every day. Electrophysiology catheters and patches are the main contributors of the carbon footprint. The focus must be on reducing, reusing, and recycling these items to limit the impact of AF ablation on the environment. A road map of steps to implement in different time frames is proposed.

Eco-audit of conventional heart surgery procedures.

OBJECTIVES: Healthcare systems have a significant environmental impact and, thus, indirectly affect public health. In order to improve current practices, a better understanding of the actual environmental impact generated by surgical procedures is necessary. METHODS: An eco-audit methodology was carried out to assess the greenhouse gas emissions arising from conventional isolated cardiac surgery procedures. This inquiry took into account 3 workstations (the surgical, the anaesthesia and the cardiopulmonary bypass workstations). All wastes were analysed including the disposable medical products, pharmaceuticals and energy consumption during such surgeries. RESULTS: Twenty-eight cardiac surgeries were analysed out of a 4-week study period. The mean emissions during a single cardiac surgery was 124.3 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-e). Eighty-nine per cent of the total emissions was related to the use of disposable medical products. The environmental impact of pharmaceuticals used at anaesthesia workstations was 12.4 kg of CO2-e (10% of total greenhouse gas emission), with 11.1 kg of CO2-e resulting from the use of halogenated gas. Direct electrical consumption resulted in 4.0 kg of CO2-e per surgery (3% of all emission), including lighting and air conditioning. CONCLUSIONS: Conventional isolated cardiac procedures yield the global warming equivalent of a 1080 km plane ride for a single passenger. The environmental impact of such life-saving interventions, therefore, must be put in perspective alongside pollution induced by 'non-indispensable' human activities. However, numerous initiatives at the local and individual level as well as at a larger systemic and countrywide scale appear to provide accessible pathways to meaningfully reduce greenhouse gas emissions during cardiac surgery.