Researcher Tim Stobernack has assessed the environmental impact of bypass surgery by looking at the amount of waste produced during an operation

Image source: Radboudumc

News • Environmental impact of coronary bypass grafting

Increasing sustainability of heart surgery

Healthcare faces a significant challenge: sustainability. Researchers from Radboud university medical center have mapped out the environmental impact of heart surgery and the subsequent intensive care admission.

Their life cycle assessment reveals opportunities to reduce the ecological footprint of healthcare, from reducing disposable materials to improving energy efficiency. The results have been published in the European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery.

We look at each individual element of the care process and investigate its environmental effects, from the materials used to the energy needed
Egid van Bree

Each year, 7,000 to 8,000 people in the Netherlands undergo bypass surgery, including patients at Radboudumc. During this major procedure, blood vessels from other parts of the body are used to create bypasses for the heart’s arteries. After the operation, intensive care is required. This healthcare process significantly impacts the environment, particularly through the use of disposable materials and energy consumption during the surgery and recovery period.

Under the leadership of medical researcher Egid van Bree, the research team thoroughly examined the care pathway for a patient. ‘It's like a large jigsaw puzzle’, explains Van Bree. ‘We look at each individual element of the care process and investigate its environmental effects, from the materials used to the energy needed.’ The life cycle assessment reveals that the care for one patient can result in up to 414 kg of CO₂ emissions, equivalent to a 3,000-kilometer car trip, from the Netherlands to Morocco.

The researchers looked for impactful areas where the environmental footprint of bypass surgeries could be reduced and identified several opportunities. Disposable materials, such as drapes, surgical gowns, cotton gauze, and gloves, contribute to waste and CO₂ emissions. More sustainable alternatives, like washable drapes and other surgical gowns, can help reduce the ecological footprint.

Article • Information channel

Sustainability in healthcare

The time when 'going green' in healthcare only referred to the colour of surgical gowns are long past: reducing CO₂ emissions, improving waste management and saving energy are essential for modern hospitals. Keep reading to find out what medical institutions can do to become more sustainable.

Additionally, savings in energy consumption can be achieved, especially through the optimization of air handling units, and benefits can be realized by using renewable energy. Moreover, the disposable set for the heart-lung machine, which contains approximately six kilos of plastic, has a significant environmental burden. Although there is currently no alternative, this remains an important area for innovation to reduce ecological impact.

This study provides insights into how heart surgeries and intensive care admissions can be made more sustainable. A direct outcome is that Radboudumc is now exploring how to optimize its air handling systems and reduce disposable materials. Tim Stobernack, sustainability researcher at Radboudumc, emphasizes the challenge of implementing these changes across the healthcare sector. 'Step by step, we are mapping out more care pathways. We hope to soon share our results for eye surgeries, emergency room care, and the admission of other patients to intensive care.’

Source: Radboudumc

05.03.2025