A trial of single-use flexible cystoscopes found the disposable alternative more cost-effective than traditional reusable options.

Analyzing Value

Cost-Effectiveness of Single-Use Cystoscopes Calculated in 90-Day Trial

Surveys completed by members of the urology team scored the single-use cystoscope higher in all four categories — visual acuity, deflection quality, ease of working channel, and overall satisfaction.

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.

More Health Economics Articles
Calculating Repair Rates and Costs for Reusable Flexible Ureteroscopes
Analyzing Value
The authors of a recent review found that routine repair is costly and may cause delays in service while reusable devices are unavailable. Specialized equipment and staff are needed for sterilization — and inadequate cleaning increases infection risk.
Physician Salaries Trend Back Up After Pandemic Hit
Public Health
Salary growth and increasing demand for doctors are evident in the latest Medscape Physician Compensation Report 2022, as the healthcare sector pulls away from the grip of the global pandemic.
More From Single-Use Endoscopy
FDA Issues Recall on Disposable Duodenoscope Endcaps

Public Health

After issuing a series of warning letters to Olympus, the FDA has issued a recall on a certain model of single-use distal covers for duodenoscopes.

Gender wage gaps persist in otolaryngology, but there has been progress.

Public Health

But parity remains a long way off — gender lag, for example, contributes to the wage gap since higher proportions of women are now in training and in earlier stages of their careers.

DDW 2023: Case Study Links Single-Use Gastroscopes to Increased Revenue, Other Benefits

Analyzing Value

As the landscape of esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and bariatric surgery evolves, it will become even more important for facilities to evaluate the true cost per use.