“Is The Use Of Single-use Surgical Drill Bits In Orthopaedics Compliant With Nhs Sustainability Goals And Justified By Evidence-based Infection Control Guidelines?”

“Is The Use Of Single-use Surgical Drill Bits In Orthopaedics Compliant With Nhs Sustainability Goals And Justified By Evidence-based Infection Control Guidelines?”

Hareem Rehan Siddiqui, Anuj Lal
Ysbyty Gwynedd Hospital, Bangor, United Kingdom

Introduction: Most surgical procedures in the UK produce around 173 kg CO₂, a sizable portion of which is from single-use drill bits (MacNeill, Lillywhite & Brown, 2017). This practice contradicts the NHS net zero policy (NHS England, 2022).

Aim: This QIP (quality improvement project) evaluates whether single-use drill bit practices in orthopaedics align with NHS sustainability goals.

Methods: Prospective data was collected over 1.5 weeks in one elective and one trauma theatre. Questionnaires recorded drill bit type, number used, unused bits discarded, and recycling attempts.

Results: Data was collected for 13 cases; 10 used single-use drills, mainly in upper limb and ankle surgeries. Two cases discarded unused bits. No packaging was recycled.

Conclusion: As per the data collected and departmental discussions, it is evident that our reliance on single-use drill bits is far greater compared to reusable ones. Our next step is to study the carbon footprint and initiate discussions towards adopting more sustainable surgical practices. This aligns with the NHS strategy and ultimately would offer more economically suitable alternatives for resource-limited settings.

Keywords: Sustainable surgery, Single-use drill bits, Orthopaedics