Single use flexible ureteroscopes: A review of current technologies and cost effectiveness analysis
Talyshinskii A. Gauhar V. Castellani D. Knoll T. Shah K. Wan S.P. Somani B.K.
1 March 2024Lippincott Williams and Wilkins
Current Opinion in Urology
2024#34Issue 2110 - 115 pp.
Purpose of reviewFlexible ureteroscopy (fURS) has evolved into both diagnostic and therapeutic modalities. Our review discusses the cost-effectiveness of single use flexible ureteroscopes (su-fURS) and the use of these instruments in routine urological practice.Recent findingsThere are studies which support the use of su-fURS with an argument of both cost and clinical utility over reusable flexible ureteroscopes (ru-fURS). However, the cost may vary across countries, hence is difficult to compare the results based on the current literature. Perhaps therefore there is a role for hybrid strategy incorporating ru- and su-fURS, where su-fURS are employed in complex endourological cases with a high risk of scope damage or fracture to preserve ru-fURS, with the ability to maintain clinical activity in such an event.SummaryWhile there seems to be some cost advantages with su-fURS with reduced sterilization and maintenance costs, the data supporting it is sparse and limited. This choice of scope would depend on the durability of ru-fURS, procedural volumes, limited availability of sterilization units in some centers and potential risk of infectious complications. It is time that cost-benefit analysis is conducted with defined outcomes for a given healthcare set-up to help with the decision making on the type of scope that best serves their needs.
cost , kidney calculi , laser , single use scope , ureteroscopy
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Department of Urology and Andrology, Astana Medical University, Astana, Kazakhstan
Department of Urology, Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
Urology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Delle Marche, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
Department of Urology, Sindelfingen Medical Center, University of Tuebingen, Germany
Varun Kidney Hospital and Prasutigarh, Department of Urology, Surat, India
Apex Urology and Stone Center, Castle Hayne, NC, United States
Department of Urology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust, Southampton, SO16 6YD, United Kingdom
Department of Urology and Andrology
Department of Urology
Urology Unit
Department of Urology
Varun Kidney Hospital and Prasutigarh
Apex Urology and Stone Center
Department of Urology
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