The Assessment and Improvement of the Steps in the Endoscope-Reprocessing: A Hospital Report

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the endoscope reprocessing procedure of our hospital that succeeded in an effective cleaning that was validated with the microbiological cultures and ATP-bioluminescence tool kit. Material and methods:The endoscope reprocessing procedure was inspected by the microbiological cultures and then ATP-bioluminescence tool kit in the endoscopy units of gastroenterology and general surgery wards of the Ministry of Health Bakırköy Sadi Konuk Research Hospital between April and December 2014. Results:Of the examined 42 flexible endoscopes, four of them (9%) were contaminated. In microbiological cultures, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (> 100,000 cfu/mL) was isolated from irrigation bottles. Extended-spectrum betalactamases and plasmid-mediated carbapenamase producing K. pneumonia and AmpC beta-lactamase producing P. aeruginosa (> 100,000 cfu/mL) were isolated from elevator behind. Each step of the reprocessing procedure was inspected and revised, if it was needed. There was not found contamination in the endoscopes after revising procedure. Conclusion:The ATP-bioluminescence method is a cost-effective method to monitor and to evaluate the endoscope reprocessing. Biofilm formation is very important to harbor resistant microorganisms in the endoscopes. The microbiological monitoring and cleaning procedures of endoscopes should be defined taking into the conditions of the setting in the settings. In case of any outbreak related to endoscopes, each step of the procedure should be checked and revised according to the guidelines, reported outbreaks, and instructions of endoscope manufacturers.