The "Body Mass Index" of Flexible Ureteroscopes

To assess the "body mass index" (BMI) (weight and length) of 12 flexible ureteroscopes (digital and fiber optic) along with the light cables and camera heads, to make the best use of our instruments.

Twelve different brand-new flexible ureteroscopes from four different manufacturers, along with eight camera heads and three light cables were evaluated. Each ureteroscope, camera head, and light cable was weighted; the total length of each ureteroscope, shaft, handle, flexible end-tip, and cable were all measured.

According to our measurements (in grams [g]), the lightest ureteroscope was the LithoVue (277.5 g), while the heaviest was the URF-V2 (942.5 g). The lightest fiber optic endoscope was the Viper (309 g), while the heaviest was the Cobra (351.5 g). Taking into account the entirety of the endoscopes, the lightest ureteroscope was the Lithovue and the heaviest was the Wolf Cobra with the Wolf camera "3 CHIP HD KAMERA KOPF ENDOCAM LOGIC HD" (1474 g). The longest ureteroscope was the URF-P6 (101.6 cm) and the shortest was the LithoVue (95.5 cm); whereas the Viper and Cobra had the longest shaft (69 cm) and URF-V had the shortest shaft (67.2 cm). The URF-V2 had the longest flexible end-tip (7.6 cm), while the LithoVue had the shortest end-tip (5.7 cm) in both directions (up/down), while the URF-V had the shortest upward deflection (3.7 cm).

Newer more versatile digital endoscopes were lighter than their traditional fiber optic counterparts in their entirety, with disposable endoscope having a clear advantage over other reusable ureteroscopes. Knowing the "BMI" of our flexible ureteroscopes is an important information that every endourologist should always take into consideration.