Journal of Visceral Surgery最新文献

A pathology well known by pediatric surgeons, ileal duplication is in rare instances a cause of acute surgical abdomen in adults; that said, its atypical presentation often leads it to be mistaken for other etiologies. Even though it is benign in children, the risk of malignant transformation in adults should be taken into account in surgical procedures.

Gall bladder diaphragm is a rare congenital malformation of the gall bladder, entailing its segmentation in several chambers. Functioning as a non-return valve, it interferes with drainage, leading to gallstone formation and cholecystitis. We are reporting a rare case of acute cholecystitis with a double vesicular diaphragm.

The ecological sustainability of the operating room (OR) is a matter of recent interest. The present systematic review aimed to review the current literature assessing the carbon footprint of surgical procedures in different surgical fields. Following to the PRISMA statement checklist, three databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library) were searched by independent reviewers, who screened records on title and abstract first, and then on the full text. Risk of bias was evaluated using the MINORS system. Over the 878 articles initially identified, 36 original studies were included. They considered ophthalmologic surgical procedures (30.5%), general/digestive surgery (19.4%), gynecologic procedures (13.9%), orthopedic procedures (8.3%), neurosurgery (5.5%), otolaryngology/head and neck surgery (5.5%), plastic/dermatological surgery (5.5%), and cardiac surgery (2.8%). Despite a great methodological heterogeneity, data showed that a single surgical procedure emits 4–814 kgCO2e, with anesthetic gases and energy consumption representing the largest sources of greenhouse gas emission. Minimally invasive surgical techniques may require more resources than conventional open surgery, particularly for packaging and plastics, energy use, and waste production. Each OR has the potential to produce from 0.2 to 4 kg of waste per case with substantial differences depending on the type of intervention, hospital setting, and geographic area. Overall, the selected studies were found to be of moderate quality. Based on a qualitative synthesis of the available literature, the OR can be targeted by programs and protocols implemented to reduce the carbon footprint and improve the waste stream of the OR.

The climate emergency alarm is resounding. Tasked with caregiving, healthcare facilities are nonetheless responsible for apparently innumerable greenhouse gas emissions. Predominantly atmospheric pollution causes 9 million deaths a year throughout the world. While legislative measures have been taken to favor change in climate-related business practices, the effects of their implementation are far from visible. On a parallel track, caregivers have been coming together and calling into question their practices, the objective being to institute concrete actions leading to reduction of healthcare-related carbon footprint. Not all of these actions have the same ecological impact or ease of implementation. To demonstrate their effectiveness and set the stage for readjustments, the existing initiatives require qualitative assessment and quantitative appraisal. While they demand personal motivation and professional investment, these efforts have a triple impact, at once ecological, economic and related to quality of life. Multidisciplinary teams come together in the pursuit of a common project epitomizing our missions as caregivers; is not that the essence of our presence in hospital?

Purpose of the study

Climate change represents one of the gravest threats to health. Surgical activities mobilize a large number of resources which contribute to increased emission of CO2 and anesthetic gases in the environment. The objective of this study was to assess the level of knowledge of surgeons and the practical stances of healthcare establishments toward sustainable development.

Methods

This was a descriptive cross-sectional study, lasting 2 months. From 1 May 2021 to 30 June 2021, surgeons were asked via an online questionnaire to participate.

Results

A total of 131 out of the 457 contacted surgeons responded. A majority practiced in the private sector, 48.9% knew little about the rules of sustainable development in operating theaters, and 43.5% had an average level. The sustainable development charter was available in only 23% of establishments, while 19% had a sustainable development committee, and specific sustainable development actions were carried out in 27%.

Conclusion

The level of knowledge of surgeons in Île-de-France on sustainable development was low. In general, surgical units were not complying with the rules of good practice on CO₂ reduction. It is necessary to find strategies to reduce the impact of operating theaters on the environment.