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：補足資料

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

🔬研究者:Provides a detailed methodology and benchmark data for carbon footprinting in healthcare, useful for comparative studies.

🏢実務担当者:Offers actionable insights for reducing emissions in surgical settings, such as streamlining material use and sterilisation processes.

🏛政策担当者:Highlights the need for standardised carbon reporting in healthcare to enable comparability and target setting.

IntroductionOutpatient 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.MethodsBetween 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.ResultsThe 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.ConclusionSubstantial 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.<br>

• openalex https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.33268950.v1first seen 2026-08-19 04:48:10 · last seen 2026-08-19 04:48:11