ドイツにおける外来白内障手術のカーボンフットプリント：排出源、変動性、透明な報告の機会に関する多施設分析

Unofficial AI-generated summary based on the public title and abstract. Not an official translation.

🔬研究者:医療分野のカーボンフットプリント算定方法論とベンチマーク設定の参考になる。

🏢実務担当者:病院や医療機器メーカーが自施設の排出削減策を特定するのに役立つ。

🏛政策担当者:医療分野の環境規制や報告基準を検討する際のエビデンスとなる。

Introduction Outpatient cataract surgery is one of the most frequently performed surgical procedures worldwide. Reducing its carbon footprint without compromising hygiene and patient safety offers substantial potential for mitigating healthcare-related greenhouse gas emissions. This multicentre study quantified the carbon footprint of outpatient cataract surgery across ten heterogeneous German tertiary centres and examined inter-centre variability in emissions as well as the extent to which current data support transparent, standardised reporting. Methods Between December 2022 and March 2023, standardised on-site assessments collected data on staff and patient travel, electricity consumption, disposable material use, and waste generation. Data were converted into carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂e) using emission factors from national environmental agencies. Since detailed life cycle and sterilisation data could not be obtained for instrument manufacture and reprocessing, these components were modelled for all centres. Results The centres showed substantial inter-site variation in all major emission categories. Disposable materials (2.53-8.30 kg CO2e) and sterilisation (2.62-7.13 kg CO2e) were the dominant contributors, together accounting for 56.6-84.6% of total emissions. Electricity use contributed 1.0% to 18.5%, whereas waste disposal remained low (≤0.4%). Based on the combination of measured and modelled components, the estimated carbon footprint averaged 14.09 kg CO₂e per cataract procedure (95% CI: 12.08-16.11 kg), with centre-level values ranging from 10.07 to 18.70 kg. Conclusion Substantial emission reductions can be achieved by streamlining material use and improving sterilisation workflow. Transparent reporting that defines system boundaries, specifies uncertainties, and provides access to data collection methods is essential for comparability and for establishing reliable benchmarks in sustainable surgical practice. This study provides a comprehensive multicentre carbon footprint analysis for outpatient cataract surgery in Germany and offers a transparent framework that guides targeted reduction strategies.

• openalex https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42671945first seen 2026-09-03 05:17:37