Reducing and recycling in joint arthroplasty.
Reducing the need for costly contaminated waste processing after total hip arthroplasties (THAs) and total knee arthroplasties (TKAs) could decrease hospital overhead and the environmental impact. From March through April 2011, we prospectively identified 20 consecutive patients undergoing primary THA or TKA by 1 surgeon in 1 operating room at our institution. For each case, waste (excluding liquids) was collected and sorted as it was produced. The 10 THAs and 10 TKAs produced an average of 30.0 lb (range, 27.1-32.5) and 33.2 lb (range, 30.9-35.2) of waste per procedure, respectively, of which 6.8 lb (range, 6.0-7.8; 22.8%) and 7.3 lb (range, 5.4-8.7; 22.0%), respectively, were potentially recyclable paper or plastic. Waste management programs should focus on recycling clean operating room waste.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Rushyuan J
RJ
Lee
Simon C
SC
Mears
D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000191:economics*; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000191:economics*; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008506:Medical Waste / Q000191:economics; D011446:Prospective Studies; D059027:Recycling / Q000379:methods; D014481:United States; D018505:Waste Management
D008506:Medical Waste