A relatively small number of endoscopes were not properly cleaned at an outpatient facility in Ochsner Health System in New Orleans, possibly exposing 222 patients who received endoscopies in an eight-month period, according to a report by the Times-Picayune.
Ochsner officials said routine audits found that the endoscopes did not complete an automated cleaning regimen after being cleaned manually between June 25, 2010 and March 2, 2011.
The officials said the risk of infection is almost nil, but Ochsner would provide free testing to the 222 patients involved. Tulane Medical Center reported a similar cleaning incident last month, prompting a class-action lawsuit.
Read the Times-Picayune report on endoscopes.
Read more on sterilizing endoscopes:
-Patients File Lawsuit Over Tulane Medical Center's Failure to Sterilize Endoscopes
-Selection of Disinfection or Sterilization
-STERIS Launches Device Designed to Aid Manual Reprocessing of Endoscopes
Ochsner officials said routine audits found that the endoscopes did not complete an automated cleaning regimen after being cleaned manually between June 25, 2010 and March 2, 2011.
The officials said the risk of infection is almost nil, but Ochsner would provide free testing to the 222 patients involved. Tulane Medical Center reported a similar cleaning incident last month, prompting a class-action lawsuit.
Read the Times-Picayune report on endoscopes.
Read more on sterilizing endoscopes:
-Patients File Lawsuit Over Tulane Medical Center's Failure to Sterilize Endoscopes
-Selection of Disinfection or Sterilization
-STERIS Launches Device Designed to Aid Manual Reprocessing of Endoscopes