Cholangiopancreatography
(ERCP). These devices are par-
ticularly difficult to clean and dis-
infect due to a complicated
design of an elevator channel at
the distal end that houses a
guidewire and catheter. In
December 2019, the FDA
approved the first completely dis-
posable duodenoscope, but we
believe the model is not yet cost
effective.
We're planning on buying a
new duodenoscope with a dis-
posable end cap designed to
eliminate the need to clean the
problematic elevator compo-
nent. The rest of the scope can
be reprocessed appropriately utilizing the same cleaning process as
standard GI scopes, making it a potentially safer option than a stan-
dard scope.
Fast and safe
Continuous training for GI staff is essential to keep your cleaning
and high-level disinfection processes working well. We have a
dedicated GI technician, but our entire staff attends scope repro-
cessing training. In addition to GI scopes, our facility uses flexible
urology, GYN and intubation scopes. Even though we're sterilizing
those scopes and not high-level disinfecting them, I think it's
important for the entire staff to be trained in the same cleaning
4 2 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • M A Y 2 0 2 0
• CLEANED BY HAND After scopes receive an initial point-of-
use cleaning, they arrive in the decontamination room, where they
are soaked in a sink and manually brushed, cleaned and rinsed.
Artesia
General
Hospital