Single-Use Endoscopes: A Trend Towards Safer Invasive Surgery
As the global pandemic focuses attention on infection prevention more than ever, rising concerns regarding potential risks of contamination in hospital is driving preference for single-use medical equipment, and endoscopes are no exception.
Although reusable endoscopes are always sterilized after use, cross-contamination is still possible if the device isn’t cleaned adequately. Aside from the hygienic perspective, another challenge of reusable endoscopes is the difficulty in identifying internal damage.
Compared to its conventional counterpart, single-use endoscopes are known for their added advantages of increased convenience and improved patient safety. Leading endoscopy manufacturers such as Olympus, Boston Scientific, or professional single-use endoscopy brand Ambu are also promoting the trend of these single-use devices. The market size of disposable endoscopes is expected to reach USD 6.29 Billion in 2028.
There are already several types of single-use endoscopes available on the market, including bronchoscopes, rhinolaryngoscopy…and much more. Some, colonoscopes and gastroscopes for instance, even come with additional water jet instruments. The market of disposable endoscopes is expected to register a CAGR of 21.1% in 2028.
source: Emergen Research
3 Challenges of Single-Use Endoscope Connector/Cable Selections
It seems like disposable endoscopes have multiple advantages. However, to have them function like conventional ones only with better performance, manufacturers have to consider three factors about the connection systems:
| 1. Cost | One of the main challenges of disposable devices is maintaining reasonable manufacturing costs while keeping performance on par with reusable instruments. Usually, fine wire cable assembly leads to high labor costs. Appropriate off-the-shelf medical connectors with customized locking features should also be taken into account. |
| 2. Image Transmission Quality | The main objective of the endoscope is to provide surgeons with high-resolution images of the patient’s body. To balance the trade-off between cost and image quality, smarter computer vision software is implemented to maximize the capabilities of camera systems. In addition, disposable endoscopes also have less risk of image quality deterioration caused by damaged cameras since the device is new for every operation. |
| 3. Cable selection | Latency can pose a problem during live surgery. The cable of disposable endoscopes still has to perform good flex & torque for better access, stability, positioning, and targeting. The weight, length, and waterproof ability of the cable should also be considered. Meanwhile, since endoscopy is an invasive procedure that goes deep into the human body, the flexibility and biocompatibility of disposable cable material should still be carefully considered. |
About Nextron NXMed Series
Nextron is honored to participate in this trend by providing the world’s leading endoscopy brands with reliable high-speed and biocompatible connection solutions.
NxMed Series is a turnkey cabling/connector solution designed mainly for single-use endoscopes and catheters, the series has been adopted by major players with great feedback.
