Comparisons between single-use and reusable bronchoscopes appeared among our most-read articles from the second half of 2022.

Also among our top stories was one confirming the safety of diagnostic bronchoscopy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). And a study of the performance of single-use scopes made for the bronchoscopy suite compared with reusables also was popular with readers.

Here is the list of the five most-read stories on Single-Use Endoscopy from June 1 of this year through mid-November.  Sign up for our weekly newsletters here.

5. Respiratory Care Week 2022: The Future of Respiratory Care

Daniel Garrett arrived at his new post as executive director of the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) at “a watershed moment” — just as the worst part of the global pandemic was over.

Still, the impact of the pandemic — which has claimed nearly 6.6 million lives, more than 1 million of them in the U.S. — is far from over. Not only does SARS-CoV-2 continue to target victims, its effects also linger in the form of staff shortages and heightened stress levels of those left to do the work.

4. Is Diagnostic Bronchoscopy Safe in Patients with COPD?

Diagnostic bronchoscopy is an effective tool for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and its related diseases, according to a new systematic review and meta-analysis.

“The major complication rate of diagnostic bronchoscopy in patients with COPD was acceptable and low,” wrote Dr. Congcong Li and others in a study out of China published in Expert Review of Respiratory Medicine.

3. Webinar: The Clinical Role of Single-Use Bronchoscopy

Single-use endoscopes are projected to be a $2.5 billion business by 2025,  given the growth in clinical, hospital use and diagnostic center use, experts say.

Among the drivers of that demand: the rise in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which ranks as the third-leading cause of death globally, and more cases of lung cancer.

2. The Evolving Reusable vs. Single-Use Endoscope Debate

That debate has evolved in recent years from one of cost, to performance and now a broader conversation about risk management — what can be done that’s in the best interest of the patient.

So said Dr. Hudson Garrett Jr. in a recent webinar, “Risks Between Reusable vs. Disposable Flexible Endoscopes: A Clinical Risk Management Perspective.” The webinar was sponsored by Ambu Inc.

1. Study: Single-Use Bronchoscopes Show Better Flexion Than Reusables

A recent study found that three of four single-use flexible bronchoscopes that were tested performed better in flexion and extension than reusable competitors.

The results were part of a poster presentation at the World Congress for Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology (WCBIP) 2022 in Marseille, France, based on research by Dr. Jonathan Kurman at the Medical College of Wisconsin and others. Ambu provided funding for the evaluation and testing.