How Single-Use Ureteroscopes Improve Outcomes
Beyond convenience, single-use ureteroscopes are redefining how hospitals, clinics, and surgical centers approach ureteroscopy outcomes, safety, and cost efficiency.
The Evolution of Ureteroscopy and the Rise of Single-Use Ureteroscopes
Reusable ureteroscopes have long been standard in endourology. But with each reprocessing cycle and sterilization run, these devices experience cumulative wear, particularly at the distal tip and deflection wires.
Over time, this can impair angulation, reduce visibility, and compromise the precision needed for complex procedures.
A study at a tertiary care center found that flexible ureteroscopes generally required repair after just 40-48 uses, suggesting cumulative stress to internal components. Repair cost analyses further show that devices often need service approximately every 15 procedures, reflecting ongoing mechanical strain.
The single-use ureteroscope offers a solution that eliminates reprocessing variability while delivering consistent performance every time.
By maintaining optical clarity and mechanical integrity from case to case, single-use ureteroscopes like MacroLux CoralView reduce the risk of scope failure and help surgeons perform with greater confidence.
For busy hospitals and high-throughput clinics, this also translates to lower service costs, fewer delays, and more predictable inventory management.
How Flexible Ureteroscope Deflection Supports Navigable Suction Sheaths
As technology has advanced, so too have the tools that support ureteroscopy. Flexible and navigable suction sheaths (FANS) play a critical role in stone retrieval and visibility during procedures. However, their effectiveness depends on the deflection and torque response of the ureteroscope.
CoralView’s precision-engineered shaft and high deflection range (up to 275°) allow for seamless navigation even when working through a sheath, ensuring that surgeons can maintain access and visibility without compromising maneuverability.
In a detailed study, CoralView consistently maintained among the highest deflection angles across all sheath sizes and testing scenarios, including when using a 200μm laser fiber and when the working channel was empty.
When paired with FANS, CoralView empowers clinicians to optimize the two critical drivers of ureteroscopy efficiency: stone clearance and irrigation control.
Clinical Data Supporting Single-Use Ureteroscope Performance
Recent studies evaluating 7.5 Fr single-use flexible ureteroscopes have demonstrated that these devices can match or exceed reusable scopes in key clinical performance areas—including image quality, deflection, and stone-free rates.
- Stone-free outcomes: In a prospective comparison between single-use and reusable ureteroscopes, researchers found no statistically significant difference in stone-free rates (84.9% vs. 82.4%, respectively) following ureteroscopy with laser lithotripsy. This supports the viability of single-use devices in routine and complex stone management cases. (Frontiers in Surgery, 2021)
- Safety and complication rates: A multicenter pilot study using a 7.5 Fr single-use scope in 50 patients showed a low complication rate of 6%. No major ureteral trauma or perforations were reported, underscoring the safety profile of modern disposable scopes. (ResearchGate, 2024)
- Image quality and durability: In vitro testing has demonstrated that digital single-use ureteroscopes maintain excellent image resolution throughout the full range of deflection, with minimal degradation under stress conditions—attributes essential for confident targeting and navigation during surgery. (SciELO 2011)
CoralView, in particular, is engineered for intuitive, single-handed control. The device’s design features are optimized for performance in tight or tortuous anatomies. These attributes are especially important in patients with prior urological surgeries or anatomically challenging stone burdens.
Why Deflection Angle is Critical in Ureteroscopy
Deflection angle is the key to access. In real-world procedures, the ability to navigate into the upper pole, reach hidden calyces, and retrieve deeply embedded stones depends on the ureteroscope’s flexibility.
Reusable scopes often lose deflection over time, particularly at extreme angles. This can limit access, prolong procedure times, or force the use of adjunct tools.
By contrast, MacroLux CoralView maintains a consistent deflection range of up to 275°, even under load. This gives surgeons precise control when targeting stones, performing laser lithotripsy, or capturing biopsies.
Moreover, CoralView’s shaft is designed for both torque stability and responsive handling — essential for avoiding accidental trauma when repositioning within the kidney.
Patient Outcome Improvements with Single-Use Devices
At the heart of any urological technology is the patient. Single-use ureteroscopes have a direct impact on clinical outcomes by:
- Reducing infection risk associated with scope contamination and ineffective reprocessing
- Improving stone clearance rates, minimizing the need for secondary interventions
- Lowering postoperative complications like hematuria or ureteral trauma
- Shortening procedure and recovery times, enhancing throughput and patient satisfaction
CoralView supports all of the above, offering surgeons a reliable tool that contributes to faster, safer, and more complete procedures. In an era of value-based care, these improvements support economic and operational goals for healthcare systems, as well as clinical wins.
Hidden Contamination and Cost of Reusable Scopes
Sterilization doesn’t always mean clean. In a widely cited 2022 study, researchers found that 100% of reusable flexible ureteroscopes tested after sterilization still harbored residual contamination, including protein buildup, biological debris, and microbial presence.
These findings have serious implications:
- Patient safety risk: Even trace contamination can lead to post-operative infections, particularly in immunocompromised patients or during complex stone cases
- False confidence: A scope that looks clean may still pose risk. Biofilms and microbial debris often remain in crevices that are difficult to inspect or reach through standard cleaning.
- Regulatory exposure: Hospitals face increasing scrutiny over infection control, especially when devices fail to meet cleanliness benchmarks.
- Operational strain: Extra cleaning cycles, microbiological testing, and scope quarantines all add cost, time, and workflow disruption.
Single-use ureteroscopes eliminate this variability. With each scope factory-sterile and never reused, hospitals can bypass reprocessing altogether, gaining predictable cleanliness, reduced infection risk, and fewer post-procedure complications.
As device-related infection risks gain visibility, more urology departments are reassessing the hidden costs and safety trade-offs of reusable scopes.
Environmental Considerations: What About Waste?
Some decision-makers hesitate to adopt disposable scopes due to environmental concerns. While this is a valid issue, it’s important to note that single-use ureteroscopes eliminate the water, chemicals, and energy used in repeated sterilization cycles.
Manufacturers are actively pursuing recyclable packaging and green disposal partnerships to further reduce the ecological impact.
Moreover, the efficiency of single-use ureteroscopes often translates to shorter procedures and fewer repeat interventions, which means less overall resource use across the continuum of care.
A New Benchmark in Cost-Effective Urology Technology
Ureteroscopy continues to evolve, with a clear trend toward precision-engineered single-use devices that combine high performance with infection control and cost predictability. MacroLux CoralView stands at the forefront of this shift, offering:
- Reliable deflection and optical clarity
- Streamlined logistics with single-use convenience
- Clinical outcomes backed by real-world use
- Reduced risk of contamination and scope failure
“The CoralView single-use ureteroscope reflects what urologists have been asking for: reliability, precision, and performance supported by clinical evidence. At IML, we ensure that such innovations are accessible to clinics seeking to deliver safer and more effective procedures.”
– C.M. Bell, IML
A Trusted Distributor for Future-Ready Urology Care
At IML, we provide urologists and hospitals with trusted, innovative devices that improve both procedural efficiency and patient outcomes. As the distributor of MacroLux CoralView, we ensure access to a single-use ureteroscope solution that is clinically proven, safe, and cost-effective.
Contact our team today to learn how MacroLux CoralView can improve ureteroscopy outcomes in your clinic or hospital.
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