The reuse of single-use balloon angioplasty catheters: is it now legitimate?
A recent nonrandomized study comparing the experience of 2 Canadian centers, 1 reusing balloon angioplasty catheters and the other using only new catheters, concluded that the reuse of angioplasty catheters was associated with higher rates of in-hospital complications and procedural drawbacks. However, after subsequent adjustment for differences in baseline characteristics of the patients in the 2 centers, the rates of in-hospital events was found to be similar in both centers.
Bourassa
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D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004209:Disposable Equipment; D017743:Equipment Reuse; D006801:Humans