Flexible Ureteroscopy: Global User Experience Using Disposable Devices

Introduction: Renal stone treatment through flexible ureteroscopy is widely established and successful. Ureteroscopes can broadly be classified into reusable and single-use disposable devices, each with their own advantages. Disposable scopes are cheaper to buy, maintain, and dispose of but may have a greater environmental impact and long-term cost. To establish the collective views of urologists, we conducted a multicentre, global study to demonstrate users’ experience with single-use flexible ureteroscopes. Methods: An online nine-question survey was distributed to urologists globally through email and social media platforms. Questions focused on user grade, experience, location, general opinion, advantages, disadvantages, and estimated cost of a single-use flexible ureteroscope. All responses were collated over a three-day period and analysed using descriptive statistics. Results: A total of 69 responses were received; the majority of responses were from the UK (75%), and most were consultants (64%). Two-thirds of those surveyed had used a single-use scope on a patient, and 95% of them stated they enjoyed using it, citing excellent vision and reduced need for maintenance. The majority (52%) stated that widespread adoption of disposable scopes was limited due to their prohibitive expense, with an average, sterling-converted responder-estimated cost of £991 (£100-£6000) per reusable scope. Conclusion: Most urologists enjoyed using disposable scopes, finding them comparable or better than reusable devices. However, the initial cost can be prohibitive in certain centres. The potential environmental impact is a further concern as this remains largely unknown for now. In the meantime, it is likely that stone units will continue to use a combination of single-use and reusable scopes, considering their individual needs and budgets as well as local availability and price.