Are current endoscope cleaning protocols enough?

More than 50 million endoscopies are performed each year in the United States, according to a Medscape report. Though the risk of transmission of infection is during endoscopy is low, some patient exposure to blood-borne pathogens and drug-resistant pathogens has occurred.

Here are four things to know about a study that evaluated three rapid indicators for the indication of residual contamination after manual endoscope cleaning.

•    The rapid indicators included adenosine triphosphate measurement and dipstick tests for protein and blood.
•    82 percent of endoscopes tested positive for residual contamination on at least one of the rapid indicators after manual cleaning.
•    ATP elevations above the threshold of 200 relative light units at the biopsy port occurred in 64 percent of endoscopes.
•    ATP elevations above the threshold of 200 relative light units at the suction channel occurred in 41 percent of endoscopes.

More articles on gastroenterology:
Mobile screening for Barrett's esophagus?
6 things to know about colonoscopy cost & what a reimbursement cut would mean
Hudson Valley Hospital Center adds 2 gastroenterologists

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