Technique could cut inhaled anaesthetic use by almost two thirds

A new technique could see vets lowering their carbon footprint when applying anaesthesia by nearly two thirds.

A study of the new method – dubbed conservative flow – has been published in the Journal of Small Animal Practice (JSAP) and is being highlighted by the BSAVA ahead of World Environment Day (5 June).

The study “Sustainable veterinary anaesthesia: single centre audit of oxygen and inhaled anaesthetic consumption and comparisons to a hypothetical model” used records from 100 anaesthetics from a typical week at the RVC Queen Mother Hospital for Animals.

Greenhouse gases

Matt McMillan, corresponding author for the paper, said: “All inhaled anaesthetic agents are greenhouse gases and by reducing the fresh gas flows we use as much as possible, through the utilisation of rebreathing systems, we can reduce the amount of them released into the atmosphere.

“Ultra-low flow anaesthesia may not be achievable in many situations, but this study demonstrates that, by adopting a simple conservative-low flow anaesthetic technique, practices which routinely use non-rebreathing systems should be able to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of anaesthesia.

“Obviously, this is only one small part of a practice’s environmental impact, but it is a proportion that can be readily reduced in an effective, safe and practicable fashion.”

Carbon footprint

Nicola Di Girolamo, editor of JSAP, added: “As veterinary professionals, we recognise the importance of protecting the environment and doing what we can to reduce our carbon footprint.

“This study was a good first step towards understanding the potential reductions in IAA consumption that can be made in veterinary practice.

“The methodology for this study was justifiable in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing for rapid data collection and analysis in a short time period. Future research should include a prospective clinical trial or a full clinical audit.”