Presented by: Adam Ostrowski MD, PhD, FEBU
Department of Urology, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland

Introduction

Single-use endoscopic devices have gained popularity in recent years, and while there is limited information available, a newly designed single-use cystoscope shows promise. This portable, self-contained device features its own light source, touch-screen, and recording capabilities. However, there is a lack of published studies on this particular scope. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the single-use cystoscope with reusable devices in terms of performing cystoscopy, video quality, patients' tolerability, and the presence of side effects.

Materials

We enrolled 67 patients (37 female and 30 male) for single-use cystoscopy and 40 (19 female and 21 male) as controls with regular cystoscopy.  Before and after each cystoscopic examination, a urine dipstick test was conducted. Urologists provided rankings of the single-use device based on various aspects. Patients were asked to rate their pain on the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and a follow-up assessment was performed five days after the procedure. Female patients had a single-use cystoscopy done with a semirigid 12 Fr cannula for diagnostic purposes, 12 female patients had botulinum toxin injected with a 14 Fr semirigid cannula with an inbuilt needle, and all men had a fully flexible cannula used.

Results

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Results showed high ratings for the ease of assembly (4.84 out of 5), illumination (4.76), fluid flow (4.95), scope flexibility (4.91), access to the bladder (4.94), and bladder visualization (4.59). In 94,0% of cases, urologists reported that the procedure was easier than usual, while 6.0% said it was similar. The average patient pain during the examination was rated at 1,26 out of 10, significantly decreasing to 0.22 after the procedure. Respective values for regular cystoscopy were 1,05 and 0.575. Patients with previous cystoscopy experiences reported less or substantially less pain in 97.2% of cases. Mild dysuric symptoms within five days were reported in 3 out of 67 patients in single-use cystoscopy and 10 out of 40 patients in reusable.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the tested single-use cystoscope proves to be a viable alternative to standard reusable instruments for cystoscopy. It offers ease of use and provides good visualization of the bladder when compared to traditional cystoscopy methods. Moreover, patient tolerability was excellent. Further research and clinical trials are warranted to validate these findings and explore the full potential of single-use endoscopic devices in urological procedures.

Funding

None

Co-Authors

Filip Kowalski, MD, PhD, FEBU
Department of Urology, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland

Pawel Lipowski, MD
Department of Urology, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland

Magdalena Ostrowska, MD
Department of Otolaryngology, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland

Jan Adamowicz, MD, PhD, Assoc. Prof, FEBU
Department of Urology, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland

Tomasz Drewa, MD, PhD, Prof, FEBU
Department of Urology, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland