minimally invasive surgery at Fox Chase
Cancer Center in Philadelphia, conducted a
study that found a savings of more than
$40,000 on 200 single-port access laparoscopic
procedures by switching to reposables. "So
while everybody else is saying that, for single-
site surgery, costs increase for the instru-
ments, we've actually been doing single-port
access surgery and saving money by using
reposables," he says.
David Renton, MD, FACS, MPH, assistant
professor of surgery at Ohio State University's
Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery in
Columbus, notes that maintenance costs are
much less for reposables when compared to
reusable instruments. For example, experts
say centers can save a significant amount of
money using reposable versions of diamond
paracentesis and trapezoid incision blades,
which promise the durability of reusable with-
out the associated special care and mainte-
nance costs — which can total up to $1,000 a
year, not including any major repairs. "I know
the costs of reusable and I know the costs of
a disposable instrument, but what few sur-
geons understand is the cost of repairing the
reusable," says Dr. Curcillo.
Save while going green
Another benefit of reposables is that they can
