Survey-based investigation of potential availability and degradation associated with reusable gastroscopes in Japan

Aims: Fully single-use gastrointestinal endoscopes are entering the market as an attempt to resolve potential availability, portability and degradation issues associated with currently used reusable endoscopes. We aimed to identify potential organisational issues associated with reusable gastroscopes.  
Methods: Between 24 September 2020 and 12 October 2020, a total of 50 endoscopists from Japan answered an electronic survey.  Data were analysed using Stata/SE version 16.1, StataCorp.
Results: Amongst the respondents,16% had never experienced availability issues, 50% rarely experienced availability issues, and 24% sometimes had to wait for a gastroscope to become available. 10% often experienced availability issues with reusable gastroscopes. Respondents that often had to wait for a gastroscope to become available were significantly more likely to consider to convert to single-use gastroscopes within three years, compared to respondents that never had to wait for a gastroscope to become available (p=0.002). There were no significant differences in availability issues between high-volume and low-volume centres (p= 0.113). 14% never experienced any degradation of their reusable gastroscopes. The majority (50%) rarely experienced degradation issues and 30% sometimes experienced degradation issues.  6% often had issues with degradation of their reusable gastroscopes when performing procedures.
Conclusions: Our findings suggest that availability and degradation issues are experienced in every-day practice in the endoscopy units.