Table 2.
Changes in inhalation anesthetic use, CO2e, and medical costs before and after education for anesthesiologists about the impact of inhalation anesthetics on global warming.
| Before education (n = 1390) |
After education (n = 1453) |
P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attending anesthesiologist 1 (1st and 2nd yr residents) 2 (3rd and 4th yr residents) 3 (Specialist <10 yr) 4 (Specialist for over 10 yr) |
425 (30.6) 409 (29.4) 423 (30.4) 133 (9.6) |
501 (34.5) 444 (30.6) 368 (25.3) 140 (9.6) |
.016* |
| Incidence of use Sevoflurane Desflurane |
552 (39.7) 838 (60.3) |
869 (59.8) 584 (40.2) |
<.001* |
| Use of N2O | 11 (0.8) | 7 (0.5) | .298 |
| Duration of anesthesia (h) | 2.6 ± 1.7 | 2.6 ± 1.6 | .887 |
| Mean vol% | 4.2 ± 2.0 | 3.4 ± 2.0 | <.001* |
| Mean FGF rate (L/min) | 2.2 ± 0.5 | 2.2 ± 0.4 | .758 |
| Volume of used inhalation anesthetics (mL) Sevoflurane Desflurane Total |
14.9 ± 25.3 49.1 ± 62.7 64.0 ± 55.7 |
21.6 ± 28.2 32.9 ± 50.9 54.4 ± 44.4 |
<.001* <.001* <.001* |
| CO2 equivalent (kg) Sevoflurane Desflurane Total |
2.9 ± 5.0 182.7 ± 233.4 185.6 ± 231.2 |
4.2 ± 5.5 122.2 ± 189.3 126.5 ± 186.7 |
<.001* <.001* <.001* |
| Driving equivalent (km) Sevoflurane Desflurane Total |
11.6 ± 19.6 716.4 ± 915.5 727.9 ± 906.6 |
16.6 ± 21.5 479.4 ± 742.6 496.0 ± 732.1 |
<.001* <.001* <.001* |
| Anesthetic cost ($) Sevoflurane Desflurane Total |
3.5 ± 5.9 11.1 ± 14.2 14.6 ± 12.6 |
5.0 ± 6.6 7.4 ± 11.5 12.4 ± 10.0 |
<.001* <.001* <.001* |
Values are presented as mean ± standard deviation or number (proportion).
*
Statistical significance.
$ = United States currency, CO2e = carbon dioxide equivalent, FGF = fresh gas flow, N2O = nitrous oxide.