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let you go green while saving green, if you're primarily using dispos- ables. "The benefits aren't just economic," says Dr. Curcillo. "They're ecologic as well." Instead of throwing away an instrument after each case with reposables, you'll either be throwing away a smaller piece of it or disposing of the instrument after several cases. Ms. Dennis com- pares throwing out disposables versus reposables to throwing out "a cardboard box versus a napkin." With healthcare facilities one of the biggest contributors to waste, reposables can be a great way to help reduce your footprint. "I always say, our grandchildren are going to be digging up these devices when they're building their houses," says Dr. Curcillo. You can also save money in medical waste disposal costs. With an average cost of 28 cents a pound for medical waste disposal, Dr. Curcillo notes that reposables can be a "huge money saver" for some facilities. "Disposable medical waste is incredibly expensive. It's a lot," adds Dr. Renton. "When you just have to throw out the scissor tip, and not the entire handle along with it, it saves money. Now we're only throwing away this little piece every time instead of this big thing." Don't think that you'll be sacrificing quality for a cheaper and green- er product. Dr. Renton says reposables, "perform exactly the same" as their well-known counterparts. "There's absolutely no difference in the feel of the instruments," agrees Dr. Curcillo. "A surgeon is likely not going to know the difference," says Ms. Dennis. "I have not had one surgeon complain when I went to reposable." Dr. Curcillo says that if a surgeon does notice a difference, it likely is a positive one. Reposables' quality is high since manufacturers guar- antee the instruments for the number of uses specified, says Ms. Dennis. Some devices, especially laparoscopic and tissue-sealing ones, allow for surgeons to reuse more durable parts of the instrument while getting a fresh new tip or electrode each time. 1 2 1 January 2015 | O U T PAT I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T