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Related Experiment Videos

Disposable versus reusable biopsy forceps: a prospective cost evaluation.

P H Deprez1, Y Horsmans, M Van Hassel

  • 1Gastroenterology Department, Cliniques Universitaires St-Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.

Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
|March 4, 2000
PubMed
Summary

Reusable biopsy forceps are significantly more cost-effective than disposable ones, saving endoscopy units thousands of dollars annually. This study highlights the economic benefits of reusable instruments in infection control settings.

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Area of Science:

  • Medical Devices
  • Gastroenterology
  • Healthcare Economics

Background:

  • Growing advocacy for disposable medical accessories to minimize infection transmission risks.
  • High purchase costs of disposable items pose challenges for cost-containment programs in endoscopy units.
  • Need for a cost comparison between reusable and disposable biopsy forceps.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the overall costs associated with using reusable versus disposable biopsy forceps in an endoscopy setting.
  • To evaluate the economic impact of choosing disposable biopsy forceps under a cost-containment program.

Main Methods:

  • Cost analysis over a 2-year period (October 1995 - September 1997) involving 7740 biopsy sessions.
  • Inclusion of all costs: purchase, repair, cleaning (chemicals, equipment, labor), and sterilization for reusable forceps.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Comparison with the lowest available purchase price of disposable biopsy forceps in 1997 ($26.90).

    • Main Results:

    • Annual purchase of 12 reusable forceps cost $5460, with a mean lifespan of 3 years per forceps.
    • Total annual costs for reusable forceps (including repairs, supplies, sterilization, and labor) amounted to $25,726, or $6.65 per session.
    • Disposable forceps were estimated to cost significantly more.

    Conclusions:

    • Reusable biopsy forceps incurred costs that were only 25% of disposable alternatives.
    • Adopting disposable biopsy forceps would have resulted in an estimated additional annual expenditure of $78,377 for the endoscopy unit.
    • Reusable instruments present a more economical choice for endoscopy units, even when considering infection control measures.