• C Lejeune, P Prost, C Michiels, M P Roullaud-Guenfoudi, J M Phelip, L Martin, E Rassiat, and J Faivre.
• Registre Bourguignon des Cancers Digestifs (INSERM-InVS 4 T006 C), Faculté de Médecine, Dijon.
• Gastroen Clin Biol. 2001 Jun 1; 25 (6-7): 669-73.

AimsThe goal of this study was to compare the cost of a biopsy session performed with a disposable and a reusable endoscopic biopsy forceps.Material And MethodsOver a 10-month period, 15 new reusable forceps (10 gastric and 5 colonic) were prospectively tracked. A biopsy session performed with a reusable forceps included its current purchase price, the sterilization cost and the number of uses. A biopsy session performed with a disposable forceps was calculated with its current purchase price and its incineration cost.ResultsAt the end of the study, only one reusable forceps had broken and the number of uses was 65. The cost of a biopsy session performed with a gastric reusable forceps was euro 7.52 (including euro 1.92 of sterilization cost) and euro 8.67 for a reusable colonic forceps (with the same sterilization cost). The cost of a biopsy session performed with a gastric or a colonic disposable forceps was euro 11.98. From 44 uses for a colonic forceps and 37 uses for a gastric one, a biopsy session performed with a reusable forceps was already cheaper.ConclusionIn this study, a biopsy session performed with a reusable forceps was less expensive than with a disposable one. However, the extra cost generated by the disposable forceps may be offset by an easier inventory control and the reduction of the cross contamination risk.

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