Within the healthcare system, an ever increasing number of minimally invasive techniques are now possible. Wolfgang Merkens, Schülke & Mayr GmbH warns that without effective and thorough cleaning, it is not possible to adequately disinfect the endoscope, as disinfection cannot remove gross contamination.
Endoscopic examination offers a simple, lowrisk, and cost-effective means to diagnose and treat a wide range of gastrointestinal disorders. During the procedure, the external surface and internal channels of a flexible endoscopes is exposed to bodily fluids and other potential contaminants, meaning that reprocessing poses particular challenges.
Unlike rigid endoscopes, flexible endoscopes are heat labile devices and cannot be autoclaved. Most are classed as “semi-critical devices” as they come into contact with mucous membranes during use and present a potential infection risk.1
The decontamination process involves mechanical and detergent cleaning, followed by high-level disinfection, rinsing, and drying.2 The cleaning stage when removal of soil and organic matter is undertaken with a suitable detergent, is essential to the efficacy of the disinfection stage.3
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