6 Reprocessing of Endos
6 Reprocessing of Endos
6 Reprocessing of Endos
Endoscopy Instruments
A lighted optical instrument that is used to get a deep look inside the body. An endoscope, which may
be rigid or flexible, can be used to examine organs, such as the throat or esophagus. Specialized
endoscopes are named for where they are intended to look.
Healthcare facilities should have a reliable, high-quality system for
endoscope reprocessing which minimizes infection risks. To achieve
this goal, all reprocessing programs must have an infrastructure that
supports training and competencies, quality measurement, and
management.
Record Keeping
Documentation for all endoscopes must be maintained with all the
decontamination equipment to ensure that the correct decontamination
process is being used. To ensure that all endoscopes can be tracked
throughout the decontamination process and traced to the patients
upon whom they were used, the documentation log includes the
following:
• Procedure name
• Patient medical record number
• Endoscopist who has performed the procedure
• Serial number or identifier of the endoscope used
• Proof of the decontamination procedure and the equipment and method used
Staff Health
All personnel working in an endoscopy unit must be educated
about the biological, chemical, and environmental hazards.
Staff are required to:
• Be immunized against hepatitis B
• Wear PPE
- Wear gloves and a disposable waterproof gown with sleeves
- Use gloves for short contact time (15–20 min); nitrile gloves can be worn for
longer contact times
- Change gloves and wash hands between tasks
- Use eye protection to protect from splashes
PPE:
Rigid Endoscopes
an optic instrument that transmits light and carries images back to the observer
through flexible (about 10 mcm) transparent fibers, and used to inspect and treat interior portions
of the body.
Steps in Endoscope Processing
• Pre-cleaning
• Leak Test
• Manual clean
• Rinsing
• Drying/air
• Disinfection
• Rinsing
• Drying/air
• Storage
• High-Level Disinfect or Sterilize
• Dry
• Store
1.Pre-clean
4.Rinsing
Removes detergent residues that may affect the—performance
of the disinfectant.
5.Drying/air
Expels excess fluid that may dilute the disinfectant
6. Disinfection Eradicates potentially pathogenic microorganisms, i.e. bacteria,
including mycobacteria and viruses
Process consistency
Reduced staff exposure to chemicals
Timed cleaning
Consistent exposure to the cleaning agent
Timed contact with liquid disinfectants
An air flush cycle to remove excess moisture
Use of copious and consistent amounts of rinse
water
When using AERs: