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A U G U S T 2 0 1 5 | O U T P A T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T
reach-and-clean inner components of endoscopes.
From a hardware perspective, there's no evidence that biofilm dam-
ages or shortens the usable life of a scope. But a coating of bacteria
sequestered in the recesses of a lumened device presents a cross-con-
tamination risk to the next patient in line to be exposed to that device.
More bad news: As there's no entirely accurate, readily accessible
method of biofilm detection, you likely have no way of knowing if your
scopes are contaminated or guaranteeing that they're not. The truth is,
the battle against biofilm is not 100% winnable, but vigilance remains
necessary. So meticulous prevention efforts are the key to reducing the
risk of biofilm-mediated post-op infections. There are 2 things you can
begin doing today to get you moving in the right direction — standard-
ize your reprocessing protocol and correct your reprocessing techs'
errors.
Step 1: Standardize your reprocessing protocol. Industry organizations
and experts agree that adequate cleaning and reprocessing, which can
disrupt the formation of biofilm, depends on these 3 practices:
• Mechanical cleaning. Are your OR staffers pre-cleaning scopes after
use? Are your reprocessors' manual brushing efforts adequate?
• High-level disinfection. Are they using enzymatic detergents effective-
ly and automated endoscope reprocessors (AER) properly?
• Post-processing. Are they handling, inspecting and storing scopes
correctly?
Ensure that your sterile processing team members are trained in
and compliant with scope, disinfectant and AER manufacturers'
instructions for use and society guidelines, and elevate their impor-
tance in your facility's infection prevention efforts.