Episode # 276 • 25 Nov 2025
Understanding Medical Waste Management in Operating Rooms
Can we reduce OR waste without compromising patient care? In this episode of BackTable Urology, Dr. Sunil Patel (Johns Hopkins) joins host Dr. Ruchika Talwar (Vanderbilt) to explore strategies for improving environmental sustainability in surgical practice.
Timestamps
0:00 - Introduction
3:29 - Current State of OR Waste
20:09 - Strategies to Reduce Waste
24:52 - Impact of Climate Change on Patients
33:55 - Future Directions
40:27 - Conclusion
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More about this episode
They discuss the scope of OR-generated waste, the impact of plastics and carbon emissions, and emerging data linking environmental exposures to carcinogenesis. Dr. Patel highlights evidence supporting reusable vs. single-use instruments, shares examples of successful waste-reduction initiatives, and emphasizes the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration to make sustainable practices achievable across healthcare systems.
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