T
he devil's in the details when reprocessing difficult-to-dis-
infect flexible endoscopes. "They're devilishly hard to
clean because they're so fragile and complex," says
Casey Czarnowski, BA, CRCST, CSPDT, CIS, CER, sterile
processing educator at Stanford Health Care in the San
Francisco area.
Endoscopes that are improperly cleaned can't be properly high-
level disinfected and present serious health risks to patients, so it's
always a good idea to remind staff of the importance of these essen-
tial tasks. The biggest mistake any reprocessing tech could make is
oversimplifying the scope cleaning process, according to Jorge
Tavera, CGTS, a reprocessing tech at PIH Health Downey (Calif.)
Hospital. "Don't skip any of the steps, and don't go through the
4 8 • O U T P A T I
E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 0
The Essentials of Endoscope Care
Proper cleaning, disinfecting and
storage protocols prevent cross-contamination.
THE RIGHT BALANCE While the automatic endoscope reprocessors help to speed up the cleaning process and minimize the need for manual brushing and scrubbing, it's important to
follow the manufacturer's IFUs for the proper amount and dilution of the detergent.
Seaford
Endoscopy
Center
Danielle Bouchat-Friedman | Associate Editor