Desflurane – an inhaled anesthetic often used to induce anesthesia at the beginning of a surgical procedure – is considered a major greenhouse gas.2
Striving to minimize impact on the environment and in line with the DoH health care sustainability goals and the ‘Year of Sustainability’, SSMC discontinues the use of Desflurane.
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC), one of the UAE’s largest hospitals for serious and complex care and a joint-venture partnership between Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA) and Mayo Clinic, has permanently discontinued use of the environmentally harmful anesthetic agent Desflurane.
This initiative aligns with the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi’s health care sustainability goals announced earlier this year, representing a significant stride in SSMC’s dedication to sustainability by taking positive actions to reduce the adverse environmental impact of surgical procedures.
Desflurane is a volatile inhalation anesthetic commonly used during surgical procedures. While it is an effective anesthetic agent, it damages the environment due to its contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. When released into the atmosphere, Desflurane can trap heat and contribute to global warming and its associated environmental aftermaths.
Dr. Monzer Hassan Sadek, Chair of the Department of Anesthesia, said: “Anesthesia is the specialty responsible for patient care before, during and after operations. During the operation, the type of anesthetic delivered can vary depending upon the clinician’s preference and suitability for the patient 3. Patients can undergo traditional general anesthesia using anesthetic gases or intravenous drugs to put them to sleep. Alternatively, patients can be awake but comfortable and safe for their operation using regional anesthetic techniques: epidural or spinal injections, or limb blocks.”
Anesthesia as a specialty contributes up to 5% of an acute hospital carbon footprint. The predominant source of this footprint is from anesthetic gases, used during traditional general anesthesia. The most harmful of these include Nitrous Oxide and Desflurane.
Their Global Warming Potential (GWP) describes the harm produced by these gases on the environment. Its value describes the amount of heat trapped over a 100-year period within the atmosphere, compared with the similar mass of carbon dioxide (CO2), which has a GWP of one. Desflurane is 2540 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than an equivalent mass of CO2. A 240 mL bottle of Desflurane, completely vaporized will produce the equivalent of 886 kg of CO2. In everyday terms, this is the equivalent of driving 4943 kilometer in a petrol engine car.
Dr. Sadek added: “As part of our broader commitment to reducing our carbon footprint, we have discontinued using Desflurane at SSMC. Not only is this a win for the environment, but research has shown that other inhaled anesthetics are just as effective and may even have a lower risk of respiratory complications, so it further improves patient safety as well.”
Dr. Matthew Gettman, Chief Medical Officer of SSMC, explained that environmental awareness is a guiding principle at SSMC. “As a major complex care hospital, we are very aware that our choices can have a significant impact on the environment, both locally and globally. We are committed to practicing sustainable procurement, which refers to the process of selecting goods and services in a way that minimizes negative environmental, social, and economic impacts while maximizing positive ones. Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from inhaled anesthetics, like Desflurane, is just one example of how we are taking a proactive approach to reducing our carbon footprint. We are proud to take this first step and hope to inspire more positive changes for health care sustainability in the UAE and beyond.”
References
1. https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/netzero/Pages/anaesthetics.aspx
2. https://sustainablehealthcare.org.uk/what-we-do/sustainable-specialties/anaesthetics/desflurane-reduction-project
3. https://sustainablehealthcare.org.uk/what-we-do/sustainable-specialties/sustainable-anaesthetics
4. https://rcoa.ac.uk/patient-information/about-anaesthesia-perioperative-care/your-anaesthetic-environment
About Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC)
Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC) is a joint venture between Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), the UAE’s largest healthcare network, and Mayo Clinic, a non-profit global leader in medical care, education and research headquartered in the United States of America. Established in 2019, SSMC is the largest tertiary hospital in the UAE and serves to elevate the provision of healthcare services in the nation under the mandate of the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030.
Supported by the latest diagnostic and treatment modalities available, SSMC offers care in 44 specialties. A team of locally and internationally trained physicians and allied health staff work seamlessly together, which promotes comprehensive interdisciplinary learning, allowing SSMC to become a leading hub for integrated patient-centric medical services in the region.
As the region’s leading tertiary facility, SSMC has 742 patient beds, 18 operating theatres and includes a hybrid operating room, 26 neonatal intensive care units and the UAE’s largest pathology lab.
For more information on Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City or to book an appointment, visit https://ssmcabudhabi.ae/.
About SEHA
The Abu Dhabi Health Services Company PJSC–SEHA – is an independent, public joint stock company created to develop the curative activities of the public healthcare system in Abu Dhabi. The company owns and operates all the public hospitals and clinics of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
SEHA is part of ADQ, one of the region’s largest holding companies with a broad portfolio of major enterprises spanning key sectors of Abu Dhabi’s diversified economy.
SEHA is committed to continuous improvement of customer care to recognized international standards and providing the community with excellent healthcare. SEHA operates 13 hospitals with 3,385 beds, 70 ambulatory care, family care and urgent care centers and 2 blood banks. Its facilities accommodate 117,162 inpatients annually and conduct 43,262 surgeries, as well as treating more than five million outpatients. SEHA is one of the largest integrated healthcare providers in the Middle East with more than 18,000 doctors, nurses, ancillary care, and administrative personnel. Learn more at www.seha.ae.
About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a non-profit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news and Mayo Clinic Facts for more information about Mayo.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Salma Chalak
Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City
Email: schalak@ssmc.ae
Fadya Al Kathairi
Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City
Tel: +971 (0) 50 332 4933
Email: falkathairi@ssmc.ae
Wael Al Kubbani
H+K Strategies
Tel: +971 (0) 50 189 8308
Email: Wael.AlKubbani@hkstrategies.com
