OBJECTIVES: Cystoscopies are a common and high-volume procedure in the urologic clinic. The associated costs of these procedures varies greatly and may be dependent on several factors including setting, locality, and annual procedural volume. While studies have attempted to address this variability, total costs are still not widely understood. A review of literature was performed to better understand the per-use cost of a cystoscopy, regardless of the aforementioned variables, with a reusable cystoscope in the United States (U.S.).

METHODS: The authors searched PubMed and Google Scholar. Search terms included “(cost) AND (cystoscopy)” and “((cost) AND (cystoscopy)) AND ((disposable) OR (single use))”. A date range of January 1, 2017 to October 1, 2022 was used. A title and abstract screen were performed, and the remaining literature was reviewed for relevance.

RESULTS: PubMed resulted in 137 articles; 130 of these were excluded based on title and abstract screens. Google Scholar returned 436 articles, of which 421 were excluded during title and abstract screens. After review of country of origin and for duplicity of findings, 17 of 22 remaining studies were excluded. Where multiple scenarios (scope, procedural volume etc.) were published, an average cost was reported for that study. The average cost to perform cystoscopy with reusable flexible cystoscopes in the U.S. was $185.53.

CONCLUSIONS: Based on the literature, the average total cost of a cystoscopy performed with a reusable scope was $185.53. The cost of cystoscopy will vary by facility due to scope and procedural volume, capital inventory, reprocessing methods, and scope repair rates. With new and updated guidelines for reprocessing and sterilization and new technologies in the market such as single-use cystoscopes, we recommend facilities fully evaluate their true cost.