If you've ever had an endoscopy, you know that it can be a little nerve-wracking. But did you know that the equipment used for this procedure can be either disposable or reusable? While both options have their advantages and disadvantages, there is still much debate among healthcare professionals as to which type of equipment is best for certain situations.
A clinical trial published in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Journal has compared disposable and reusable gastroscopes to determine which is better.
Gastrointestinal endoscopy is a common procedure used to diagnose and treat various digestive system disorders. Gastroscopes are long, flexible tubes that are used to examine the inside of your digestive tract. They have a camera on the end that allows your doctor to see what's going on inside your body. In the past, most gastroscopes were reusable. After they were used, they were cleaned and sterilized before being used again. In recent years, disposable gastroscopes have become more popular. These are single-use devices that are thrown away after each use. However, clinical data comparing their safety and effectiveness with traditional endoscopes was limited.
A clinical trial was conducted aiming to determine whether disposable gastroscopes were as safe and effective as reusable ones for patients undergoing gastroscopy.
The trial involved 110 patients undergoing gastroscopy for various upper gastrointestinal conditions. These patients were randomly assigned to either receive an examination with a disposable (55 patients) or a reusable gastroscope (55 patients). The success rate of capturing anatomical images along with other technical factors was measured in both groups.
The researchers found that there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the success rate of the examination. The image-capturing rate of the anatomical sites was 100% in both groups. In other words, both types of gastroscopes were equally effective at allowing doctors to see what was going on inside the patient's body.
Additionally, there were no differences in the procedure completion rate, device failure/defect rate, and safety rates between the two groups.
Conclusion
The clinical trial found that disposable gastroscopes are just as effective as reusable gastroscopes at allowing doctors to see inside a patient's body. However, the trial did show that average image quality was better in the reusable gastroscopes. The operating time was also shorter in the group undergoing gastroscopy with reusable instruments. These findings are significant as they provide important insights for healthcare professionals who are tasked with selecting between disposable and reusable gastroscopes.Ultimately, the decision of whether to use a disposable or reusable gastroscope will depend on several factors, including cost, availability, and the patient's individual needs and preferences.
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Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Journal, Apr-02-22