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The substance that provides patients with a gentle and safe sleep during anesthesia causes up to 35 percent of all hospital emissions: this is the current reality of anesthetic gas.
(Published: July 2023)
Until now, the exhaled gases have been collected from the anesthesia machine and released into the outside air. Anesthetic gases thus promote the greenhouse effect and are among the worst climate killers worldwide. At Fresenius Helios’ 19 hospitals in the eastern region, a new filter system is now being used to recycle these gases. More than 90 percent of the anesthetic gases collected will thus be recycled in the future.
With a consumption of more than 1,200,000 ml of inhalation anesthetics at the 19 clinics in the Helios Region East alone, recycling will save a CO2 equivalent of more than 1,100 tons per year in the future. This is comparable to driving almost five million kilometers in a mid-range gasoline-powered car: more than twelve times from the earth to the moon or 120 times around the equator.
Activated carbon filters are used, which are attached to the anesthesia machine in the operating room or to the ventilator in the intensive care unit – exactly where the exhaust hose for the anesthetic gas is otherwise attached. The gases are captured in these filters and most of them are recycled before they are used again for anesthesia – in line with sustainable recycling management principles. But the filter system not only pays off for the environment. It also reduces costs by eliminating the need for maintenance of the anesthetic gas extraction system. In addition, significant electricity savings can be achieved.
After the trial in the 19 hospitals in the eastern region, Helios will decide whether to implement the project in the other regions in Germany. If all Helios hospitals were to use the new filter system, a CO2 equivalent of around 5,200 tons could be saved in the future. This is equivalent to driving 22,700,000 kilometers with a mid-range gasoline engine. Or put another way, that's 59 times the distance from the earth to the moon.
In addition, Helios has decided to stop using nitrous oxide, which is particularly harmful to the environment. In addition, the emission of the remaining anesthetic gases is reduced as much as possible by intelligently reducing the gas supply to the anesthesia device. For example, the use of desflurane, another very climate-damaging gas, has already been reduced by 40 percent.
According to estimates by the German Society for Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, 17 million anesthesia procedures are performed in German hospitals each year. Added to this are many thousands more anesthesia procedures in the outpatient sector. Each anesthetic emits up to 118 kilograms of CO2 equivalents.
At Fresenius, we believe we have a responsibility to protect the environment and are striving for climate neutrality by 2040 as part of #FutureFresenius. That’s why we continually implement measures that help reduce our emissions.
Contact
Helios Kliniken GmbH
Friedrichstr. 136
10117 Berlin
Deutschland
T +49 30 521 321-0
The rating agency Fitch today revised the outlook of Fresenius from negative to stable. The rating was affirmed at BBB-. The improved outlook is based on the consistent performance of the Operating Companies, a prudent capital allocation and progress on the group simplification, amongst others. The revised outlook is another strong testament of the successful execution of the strategy towards #FutureFresenius. Fresenius remains committed to its investment grade rating and its self-imposed leverage corridor of 3.0 to 3.5x net debt/EBITDA.
The rating agency Fitch today revised the outlook of Fresenius from negative to stable. The rating was affirmed at BBB-. The improved outlook is based on the consistent performance of the Operating Companies, a prudent capital allocation and progress on the group simplification, amongst others. The revised outlook is another strong testament of the successful execution of the strategy towards #FutureFresenius. Fresenius remains committed to its investment grade rating and its self-imposed leverage corridor of 3.0 to 3.5x net debt/EBITDA.
Fresenius Medical Care, the world’s leading provider of products and services for individuals with renal diseases, today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance for Versi®HD with GuideMe Software, a completely reinvented self-guided interface for the company’s VersiHD chronic home hemodialysis (HHD) system. VersiHD with GuideMe Software aims to transform the experience of HHD for patients and nurses.
As the established leader in HHD, NxStage from Fresenius Medical Care, draws on its experience of over 30 million patient treatments at home over nearly two decades, serving patients in more than 45,000 homes with a broad diversity of water sources across the U.S.
VersiHD with GuideMe Software provides graphical walk-through guidance that aims to enhance ease of use and confidence for both patients and nurses. It is designed to improve patient training time, ease the transition to home, and make the training experience easier for new users.
“With over 13,000 HHD patients in the U.S. alone, we are excited to amplify the innovation NxStage offers with advanced technologies, like VersiHD with GuideMe Software,” said Dr. Katarzyna Mazur-Hofsäß, CEO of Fresenius Medical Care’s Care Enablement segment. “We are committed to providing cutting-edge solutions to improve the health and well-being of dialysis patients by challenging the standard of home dialysis with the design of industry-leading products.”
“We expect VersiHD with GuideMe Software to further simplify home hemodialysis for patients during training and at home,” said Dr. Brigitte Schiller, Senior Vice President, Medical Officer, Home Therapies at Fresenius Medical Care. “As a result of this software upgrade, patients and their care partners will have additional support to be confident with the therapy at home. VersiHD with GuideMe Software will support Fresenius Medical Care’s mission of advancing access to home therapies to more patients.”
NxStage has had many significant innovations over the years guided by patient input starting with the first portable HHD machine, NxStage System One™, in 2005 followed by the introduction of the PureFlow™ DI Water Purification System in 2006. Nx2me Connected Health®, the first Connected Health platform for HHD followed in 2014. The NxStage System One was the first machine to receive FDA clearance for Nocturnal HHD indication in 2014 and also the first to receive FDA clearance for Solo HHD indication in 2017. In 2017, NxStage introduced the VersiHD touchscreen cycler. Over 95% of HHD patients in the U.S. use the NxStage HHD system.
VersiHD with GuideMe Software will initially be available in selected markets in 2023. Existing VersiHD systems will be upgradeable to GuideMe Software. For more information about VersiHD with GuideMe Software, please visit www.nxstage.com/hcp/versihdguideme.
Despite the health benefits that home hemodialysis may provide to those with chronic kidney disease, this form of therapy is not for everyone. The reported benefits of home hemodialysis may not be experienced by all patients. The risks associated with hemodialysis treatments in any environment include, but are not limited to, high blood pressure, fluid overload, low blood pressure, heart-related issues, and vascular access complications. The medical devices used in hemodialysis therapies may add additional risks including air entering the bloodstream and blood loss due to clotting or accidental disconnection of the blood tubing set. Certain risks are unique to the home. Treatments at home are done without the presence of medical personnel and on-site technical support. Patients and their partners must be trained on what to do and how to get medical or technical help if needed.
© 2023 Fresenius Medical Care. All Rights Reserved. Fresenius Medical Care, NxStage, the triangle logo, VersiHD, PureFlow and Nx2me are trademarks of Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc. or its affiliated companies. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Fresenius Medical Care is the world's leading provider of products and services for individuals with renal diseases of which around 3.9 million patients worldwide regularly undergo dialysis treatment. Through its network of 4,050 dialysis clinics, Fresenius Medical Care provides dialysis treatments for approximately 344,000 patients around the globe. Fresenius Medical Care is also the leading provider of dialysis products such as dialysis machines or dialyzers. Fresenius Medical Care is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FME) and on the New York Stock Exchange (FMS).
For more information visit the Company’s website at www.freseniusmedicalcare.com.
Disclaimer:
This release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements due to various factors, including, but not limited to, changes in business, economic and competitive conditions, legal changes, regulatory approvals, impacts related to the COVID-19 pandemic results of clinical studies, foreign exchange rate fluctuations, uncertainties in litigation or investigative proceedings, and the availability of financing. These and other risks and uncertainties are detailed in Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA's reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA does not undertake any responsibility to update the forward-looking statements in this release.
September 20, 2023
Munich, Germany
Fresenius Kabi today announced the immediate availability of two drugs in the United States. The first product, Gadobutrol Injection, a gadolinium-based contrast agent for used in MRIs.1 It is the latest addition to Fresenius Kabi’s new radiology portfolio that offers hospitals a range of cost-effective contrast agents. The second product, Plerixafor Injection, a hematopoietic stem cell mobilizer is the newest addition to the company’s large generic injectable oncology medicine portfolio.
1 Gadobutrol Injection Package Insert, January 2023
September 06, 2023
London, UK
Fresenius Kabi today announced the immediate availability of two drugs in the United States. The first product, Gadobutrol Injection, a gadolinium-based contrast agent for used in MRIs.1 It is the latest addition to Fresenius Kabi’s new radiology portfolio that offers hospitals a range of cost-effective contrast agents. The second product, Plerixafor Injection, a hematopoietic stem cell mobilizer is the newest addition to the company’s large generic injectable oncology medicine portfolio.
1 Gadobutrol Injection Package Insert, January 2023
