The choice between reusable and single-use blades is rarely about the blade alone. It is about the department that uses it, the sterile services team that reprocesses it, and the budget that pays for both.
The case for reusable blades
A well-made stainless steel blade can be used, cleaned and sterilised many times. For theatres with an established sterile services department, reusable blades usually give the lowest cost per intubation and produce less waste.
- Lower cost per use over the life of the blade.
- Less clinical waste.
- Familiar weight and feel for clinicians.
The case for single-use blades
A single-use blade is used for one patient and then discarded. That removes reprocessing from the workflow and, with it, the risk of an incompletely cleaned blade reaching the next patient.
- No cleaning, sterilisation or tracking.
- Always available, which suits emergency departments, ambulances and intensive care.
- Predictable cost per intubation, with no hidden reprocessing cost.
Questions to ask before you decide
- How many intubations does the department perform each year?
- What does one reprocessing cycle cost, including labour, chemicals, packaging and tracking?
- How quickly must a clean blade be available after use?
- What do your infection-control policies require for this setting?
Many hospitals use both: reusable blades in planned theatre lists, single-use blades in emergency and remote settings. We manufacture both ranges, in fiber-optic and conventional versions, and are happy to help you work out the cost per intubation for your own numbers.