Three recent studies showcase the advantages of Ambu’s thin aScope™ 5 Broncho 4.2/2.2 and the ultrathin aScope™ 5 Broncho 2.7/1.2 in performance, power to help critically ill patients and availability vs. reusables.
Ambu’s thin bronchoscope has a regular size working channel, while the ultrathin distinguishes itself as the first and only single-use bronchoscope of its size with a working channel.
Single-Use Availability Advantage
Clinicians often have to wait for a clean scope to become available, causing delays in bronchoscopy procedures being performed in endoscopy suites, operating rooms and intensive care units. If left unresolved, there can be patient backlogs and additional pressure on hospital staff that can impact patient care.
In a survey of physicians at nine university hospitals across the U.S., 43 percent said they have had to delay procedures due to the lack of availability of thin and ultrathin scopes. Reprocessing issues were cited as the most common reason for the delays.
That’s where single-use endoscopes play a valuable role, by eliminating delays that can result from reprocessing reusable scopes along with any need to send scopes out for repairs.
In addition to the availability advantage with single-use scopes, 76 percent of those surveyed said that the small sized, single-use scopes have the potential to increase treatment efficiency.
Single-Use vs. Reusable Performance
The physician surveys also found that Ambu’s single-use scopes rated higher than reusables in 11 categories measured, including overall satisfaction, articulation with and without a tool and instrument passability.
On average, the single-use bronchoscopes scored between “similar” and “better” in all metrics compared with reusables, according to the study. Image quality and overall ease of use were rated highest among all the variables.
Given their respective working channel sizes, both scopes are ideal in cases where tools are needed in either smaller and/or peripheral airways. Physicians should feel confident using these scopes for one-lung ventilations, difficult intubations and for sampling smaller airways.
Addressing Unmet Needs
Of the physicians surveyed, 38 percent said that they experienced regular delays due to lack of an available scope and that it impacted their care of vulnerable patients.
They expressed the following preferences for single-use bronchoscopes:
- Treating immunocompromised patients (62%)
- Emergent procedures (43%)
- High-risk patients (32%)
These scopes are ideal for emergent cases, since no reprocessing is needed after use, and for procedures with high-frequency and non-high-frequency tools since they don’t need repairs if tool usage causes damage.
Given their easy availability, Ambu’s single-use endoscopes eliminate the need for the departmental sharing that often occurs with reusables, and they enable expansion without additional staff or huge capital investment.
Click here to download the studies and learn much more about Ambu’s innovative technology.
