# Single-Use Flexible Bronchoscopy: Advances in Technology and Applications

## TL;DR

Single-use flexible bronchoscopy is becoming more widely used and effective compared to traditional reusable bronchoscopy, especially during the pandemic.

## Contribution

The paper highlights the expanding use and effectiveness of single-use bronchoscopy across various settings.

## Key findings

- Single-use bronchoscopy is as effective as reusable bronchoscopy for procedures like airway inspection and biopsies.
- The use of single-use bronchoscopy increased globally during the pandemic due to its advantages in infection control and ease of use.
- Comparative studies show single-use bronchoscopy is versatile and non-inferior to reusable bronchoscopy.

## Abstract

With advances in scope and imaging technology, the use of single-use flexible bronchoscopy (SUFB) has broadened beyond intensive care units and operating rooms to bronchoscopy units, with an expanding body of literature suggesting adequate and comparable procedure outcomes, including airway inspection, bronchoalveolar lavage, endobronchial brushing and endobronchial biopsy, in comparison to standard reusable flexible bronchoscopy (RFB). Advantages such as mobility, ease of use and lack of requirement for cleaning staff during the COVID-19 pandemic led to a global increase in usage, with many companies developing SUFB as part of their bronchoscopy portfolio. In parallel, there has been more attention and initiatives to minimise the risk of infection transmission related to bronchoscopy. RFB requires maximum adherence to manufacturer-recommended cleaning protocols. However, evidence of transmissible organisms after cleaning is reported in healthcare settings of all types. After initial benchtop, retrospective and single-arm studies, comparative bronchoscopy studies are identifying that SUFB are as versatile and non-inferior to RFB. However, cost-effectiveness and sustainability factors have to be included in deciding the use of SUFB in routine practice.