Do single-use medical devices containing biopolymers reduce the environmental impacts of surgical procedures compared with their plastic equivalents?

Journal of Health Services Research & Policy
Scott R UngerAmy E Landis

Abstract

Background While petroleum-based plastics are extensively used in health care, recent developments in biopolymer manufacturing have created new opportunities for increased integration of biopolymers into medical products, devices and services. This study compared the environmental impacts of single-use disposable devices with increased biopolymer content versus typically manufactured devices in hysterectomy. Methods A comparative life cycle assessment of single-use disposable medical products containing plastic(s) versus the same single-use medical devices with biopolymers substituted for plastic(s) at Magee-Women's Hospital (Magee) in Pittsburgh, PA and the products used in four types of hysterectomies that contained plastics potentially suitable for biopolymer substitution. Magee is a 360-bed teaching hospital, which performs approximately 1400 hysterectomies annually. Results There are life cycle environmental impact tradeoffs when substituting biopolymers for petroplastics in procedures such as hysterectomies. The substitution of biopolymers for petroleum-based plastics increased smog-related impacts by approximately 900% for laparoscopic and robotic hysterectomies, and increased ozone depletion-related impacts by approxima...Continue Reading

References

Oct 1, 1986·Infection Control : IC·V W Greene
Apr 24, 2001·Bioresource Technology·V M GhorpadeM A Hanna
Mar 9, 2010·European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology·Dimitri SarlosGabriel Schaer
Jul 16, 2010·Bioresource Technology·K Madhavan NampoothiriRojan Pappy John
Feb 23, 2011·Archives of Surgery·Gifty KwakyeMartin A Makary
Dec 18, 2014·Environmental Science & Technology·Cassandra L ThielMelissa M Bilec
Feb 11, 2015·Waste Management·Troy A HottleAmy E Landis

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
hysterectomy
hysterectomies

Software Mentioned

TRACI

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