Robotic-assisted surgery offers undeniable clinical benefits – enhanced precision, reduced complications and shorter recovery times.
However, its environmental impact is a growing concern.
Now, researchers in the Netherlands are collaborating to investigate the sustainability of robotic surgery.
The four partners in the alliance are Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Utrecht University (UU), and University Medical Center Utrecht (UMC Utrecht).
Their aim is to raise healthcare professionals’ awareness and promote a circular approach to medical technology.
Each robotic procedure generates an estimated 814 kg CO₂ equivalent in waste and emissions – comparable to a petrol-fuelled car travelling more than 3,200 kilometres.
A major contributor is the high turnover of single-use instruments, which contradicts efforts toward sustainability in healthcare.
While robotic systems improve patient outcomes, their carbon footprint and resource consumption require urgent attention.
The research integrates life cycle assessments (LCA), social impact analyses, and technical evaluations to identify opportunities for sustainability in robotic surgery.
Findings will be shared through a report for surgical teams and an artistic installation by Maria Koijck at UMCU – designed to provoke reflection on surgical robots’ ethical and environmental responsibility.
In 2023, the artist underwent breast cancer surgery in 2021. Stunned by the amount of waste generated by her procedure, including the postoperative care, she created an art installation that challenged the healthcare industry to seek another way.
Elsewhere, hospital staff in Scotland are also considering limiting the impact of surgical procedures by helping to design theatre caps made from plant-based material.
The initiative is part of a research project led by the University of Strathclyde and Heriot-Watt University.
The project aims to reduce the waste created by NHS Scotland’s single-use disposable theatre cap products.
Scottish hospitals use around 800,000 single-use disposable theatre caps every year. The new caps, made from cellulosic fibre derived from plant-based materials, offer a sustainable alternative to traditional disposable options.
They are biodegradable at the end of their lifecycle, reducing the environmental impact of medical waste.
The theatre cap project is part of the broader Design HOPES project (Healthy Organisations in a Place-based Ecosystem, Scotland), led by Professor Paul Rodgers at the University of Strathclyde and Professor Mel Woods at the University of Dundee.
Design HOPES was recently awarded more than £4.6 million by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) as one of four Green Transition Ecosystem (GTE) Hubs in the UK, which aim to address distinct challenges posed by the climate crisis, including, but not limited to, realising net-zero goals.
Photography by Maria Koijck. Surgical waste of a reconstructive breast operation after breast cancer diagnosis
