Disposable Endoscope System with Detachable Control Base

The patent applies the disposable principle by designing an endoscope that is intended for single use only. The entire endoscope including the tubular part, camera unit, and transmission wires is discarded after one use, eliminating the need for complex sterilization procedures. This resolves the contradiction by accepting higher per-use material cost in exchange for eliminating sterilization complexity and time cost.

By making the endoscope disposable, the patent eliminates the need for sterilization procedures entirely. Each new endoscope is factory-sealed and sterile, and after single use it is discarded, ensuring patient safety without requiring time-consuming sterilization processes in the hospital setting.

The disposable endoscope design significantly reduces the acquisition cost per unit compared to reusable endoscopes. Although the per-unit cost is higher than mass-produced disposable items, the elimination of sterilization infrastructure requirements and the ability to equip multiple low-cost disposable units per procedure allows hospitals to increase the total number of endoscopes available without proportionally increasing budget requirements.

The disposable endoscope eliminates the need for dedicated sterilization chambers and equipment entirely. Hospitals can simply store unopened disposable endoscopes in controlled environments and use them directly, replacing the need for expensive sterilization infrastructure and reducing operating costs while maintaining sterilization capability through factory sealing.

By switching to disposable endoscopes, the patent eliminates the need for repeated cleaning and sterilization cycles. While the disposable unit itself becomes waste, it avoids the generation of large amounts of chemical waste from sterilization agents, cleaning solutions, and disposable protective gear required for reusable endoscope maintenance.