Department of Urology, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Department of Urology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
Curr Urol Rep. 2023 Jun;24(6):281-285. doi: 10.1007/s11934-023-01154-9. Epub 2023 Mar 14.
Ureteroscopy is a well-established treatment modality for kidney and ureteric calculi in addition to playing a key role in upper tract cancer diagnostics. Traditional reusable flexible ureteroscopes are technologically advanced and expensive pieces of equipment that require repeat sterilisation and periodical repair. These issues have led to the development of single-use flexible ureteroscopes that are disposed of after each case. Whilst this may be advantageous in many respects, the environmental impact of such technology is yet to be fully determined. The aim of this review is to therefore identify and summarise the available literature concerning the environmental footprint of single-use ureteroscopy.
To identify the latest research on this topic, a systematic search of world literature was conducted using the Medline, Embase, and PsycINFO databases. PRISMA guidelines were followed and articles were assessed by all authors and relevant study results were included in a narrative format. Only one relevant article was identified and included. This study found that a single-use flexible ureteroscope (LithoVue by Boston Scientific) generated an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide per case to a contemporary reusable flexible ureteroscope. Literature concerning the environmental footprint of single-use ureteroscopy is worryingly lacking. No conclusions can be definitively drawn from a single study and further research is imperative given the global climate crisis and the significant contribution that healthcare services have to the environmental problem.
输尿管镜检查术是一种成熟的治疗肾结石和输尿管结石的方法，此外在诊断上尿路癌方面也起着关键作用。传统的可重复使用的软性输尿管镜是技术先进且昂贵的设备，需要反复消毒和定期维修。这些问题导致了一次性使用的软性输尿管镜的发展，这些输尿管镜在每个病例后都被丢弃。虽然从许多方面来看，这可能是有利的，但这种技术的环境影响尚未得到充分确定。本综述的目的是确定和总结有关一次性输尿管镜术的环境足迹的现有文献。
为了确定关于这一主题的最新研究，我们使用 Medline、Embase 和 PsycINFO 数据库对世界范围内的文献进行了系统搜索。我们遵循了 PRISMA 指南，所有作者都对文章进行了评估，并以叙述的形式纳入了相关的研究结果。只确定了一篇相关的文章并将其包括在内。这项研究发现，一次性使用的软性输尿管镜（波士顿科学公司的 LithoVue）在每个病例中产生的二氧化碳量与当代可重复使用的软性输尿管镜相同。关于一次性输尿管镜术的环境足迹的文献令人担忧地缺乏。由于全球气候危机和医疗服务对环境问题的重大贡献，从单一研究中不能得出明确的结论，因此需要进一步研究。
