Author commentary on Pedro López-Muñoz et al.

Pedro López-Muñoz et al. Environmental footprint and material composition comparison of single-use and reusable duodenoscopes

Infection outbreaks associated with contaminated reusable duodenoscopes (RUDs) have led to the development of single-use duodenoscopes (SUDs). This study compared material composition and life cycle assessment (LCA) between RUDs and SUDs. LCA demonstrated sustainability of RUDs, with a life cycle carbon footprint 62–82 times lower than the universal use of SUDs (152 vs. 10 512–12 640 kg CO2eq) and 10 times lower than occasional use of SUDs (152 vs. 1417–1677 kg CO2eq). The authors concluded that the use of SUDs for infection control should be balanced against environmental responsibility.

Publication History

Article published online:
28 January 2025