A 90-day trial of single-use flexible cystoscopes determined the disposable alternative to be more cost-effective than traditional reusable options.

Additionally, surveys completed by researchers affiliated with Northwestern and Indiana University scored the single-use Ambu aScope 4 Cysto higher than the baseline reusable in all four categories — visual acuity, deflection quality, ease of working channel, and overall satisfaction.

Researchers presented their findings virtually in a poster at the American Urological Association's 2021 Annual Meeting.

They calculated the per-use cost of their baseline reusable cystoscopes to be $272.41. That includes a total of $70.87 of per-use processing cost but excludes the initial scope and monitor purchase. The single-use cystoscope had a per-use cost of $185.

Based on the average number of uses over the past three years, the annual savings at this tertiary care center would equal $39,142.84.

The trial ran from Nov. 1, 2020, through Jan. 29, 2021. All care was performed with single-use cystoscopes — a reusable one was only utilized if single-use failed to complete the procedure successfully or one was unavailable.

The center performed 84 cases during this span, 78 of which (93 percent) were successfully fulfilled with the single-use cystoscope. Of the six failures, two were due to inaccessibility.