Improving quality of care and reducing topical medication operating room waste

Implementation approaches to improve environmental sustainability in operating theatres: a systematic review

Operating theatres consume large amounts of energy and consumables and produce large amounts of waste. There is an increasing evidence base for reducing the climate impacts of healthcare that could be enacted into routine practice; yet, healthcare-associated emissions increase annually. Implementation science aims to improve the systematic uptake of evidence-based care into practice and could, therefore, assist in addressing the environmental impacts of healthcare. The aim of this systematic search with narrative synthesis was to explore what implementation approaches have been applied to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatre activities, described by implementation phases and methodologies. A search was conducted in EMBASE, PubMed, and CINAHL, limited to English and publication since 2010. In total, 3886 articles were retrieved and 11 were included. All were in the exploratory phase (seven of 11) or initial implementation phase (four of 11), but none were in the installation or full implementation phase. Three studies utilised a recognised implementation theory, model, or framework in the design. Four studies used interprofessional education to influence individuals' behaviour to reduce waste, improve waste segregation, or reduce anaesthetic gases. Of those that utilised behaviour change interventions, all were qualitatively successful in achieving environmental improvement. There was an absence of evidence for sustained effects in the intervention studies and little follow-up from studies that explored barriers to innovation. This review demonstrates a gap between evidence for reducing environmental impacts and uptake of proposed practice changes to deliver low-carbon healthcare. Future research into 'greening' healthcare should use implementation research methods to establish a solid implementation evidence base. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW PROTOCOL: PROSPERO CRD42022342786.

Randomized Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy of the Nanodropper Device for Pupillary Dilation and Cycloplegia in Children

PURPOSE

We evaluated the noninferiority of 10.4 μl of eye drops eluted with a commercially available eye drop adapter, the Nanodropper (Nanodropper, Inc), on pupillary dilation and cycloplegia in children compared with the standard of care (SOC), 50 μl of eye drops.

DESIGN

Prospective randomized trial.

PARTICIPANTS

Pediatric patients scheduled for routine pupillary dilation at the University of California, San Francisco, at the Pediatric Ophthalmology Clinic were enrolled. Each participant provided 1 eye for the intervention group (Nanodropper) and 1 eye for the control group (SOC).

METHODS

Participants were randomized to receive small-volume dilating drops in 1 eye (Nanodropper) and SOC dilating drops in the other eye. Dilation was performed using 1 drop each of 1% cyclopentolate, 1% tropicamide, and 2.5% phenylephrine. Refraction and pupillometry were obtained before and 30 minutes after dilation. A noninferiority analysis was performed to assess change from before to after dilation in spherical equivalent and in pupil constriction percentage and maximum pupil diameter after dilation.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Spherical equivalent, maximum pupil diameter, and pupil constriction percentage.

RESULTS

One hundred eyes of 50 patients were included, with a mean ± standard deviation age of 9 ± 3 years. After controlling for baseline measurements, the spherical equivalent after dilation was 0.05 diopter (D) more (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.28 to 0.37 D) in the Nanodropper arm, which did not achieve noninferiority. Maximum pupil diameter after dilation was lower in the Nanodropper group (mean, -0.01 mm; 95% CI, -0.20 to -0.03), which did achieve noninferiority. Constriction percentage after dilation was 0.57 percentage points more (95% CI, -1.38 to 2.51 percentage points) in the Nanodropper group, which did not achieve noninferiority.

CONCLUSIONS

Administration of eye drops using a small-volume adapter demonstrated similar efficacy to SOC in a pediatric population. Strict noninferiority was met only for pupillary dilation and not for cycloplegia or constriction percentage; however, the small differences in the effect of the Nanodropper versus SOC on all primary outcomes were not clinically significant. We conclude that small-volume eye drops have the potential to decrease unnecessary medical waste and medication toxicity while maintaining therapeutic effect.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S)

Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.

Reducing topical drug waste in ophthalmic surgery: multisociety position paper

This position article on reducing topical drug waste with ophthalmic surgery was written by the Ophthalmic Instrument Cleaning and Sterilization Task Force, comprising representatives of the ASCRS, American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Glaucoma Society, and Outpatient Ophthalmic Surgery Society. Drug waste significantly increases the costs and carbon footprint of ophthalmic surgery. Surgical facilities should be permitted to use topical drugs in multidose containers on multiple patients until the manufacturer's labeled date of expiration, if proper guidelines are followed. Surgical patients requiring a topical medication not used for other patients should be allowed to bring that partially used medication home for postoperative use. These recommendations are based on published evidence and clarification of policies from multiple regulatory and accrediting agencies with jurisdiction over surgical facilities. Surveys suggest that most ambulatory surgery centers and hospitals performing cataract surgery are wasting topical drugs unnecessarily.

[Use of resources in cataract surgery-More waste is (not) always possible]

BACKGROUND

Aspects of ecological sustainability are becoming more important in the healthcare system. The use of resources is particularly high in the operating theater. Cataract surgery is one of the most frequent procedures in ophthalmology and even in medicine overall. Its CO₂ footprint is therefore quantitatively relevant. Approaches to conserve resources can be implemented at the levels of production and transport of materials and also in the form of reduction and management of waste.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

In this paper the sources of the waste load, the management of waste separation, the implementation of single-use instruments and the influence of innovative technologies during cataract surgery are presented based on the current literature.

RESULTS

Particularly the use of plastic materials for packaging and single-use instruments, also for reasons of hygiene, lead to an increased waste production. The simple separation of compound materials is difficult and only meaningful if the materials used in eye operations can be recycled; however, international comparisons show that cataract surgery can be performed with the same quality of results while conserving resources. Measures in organization and infrastructure are presented.

CONCLUSION

In the future, innovative strategies should be developed and the use of resources in Germany should also be critically questioned in order to reduce the CO₂ footprint of cataract surgery.