Original articleClinical endoscopyInspection of endoscope instrument channels after reprocessing using a prototype borescope
Section snippets
Methods
A pilot study was developed using a prototype video camera, the SteriCam Inspection Scope (SteriView Inc, San Rafael, Calif). This device is a reusable flexible borescope that connects via a universal serial bus cable to a laptop with proprietary software to view and record live video and images. The borescope captures a digital image with a native resolution of 400 × 400 pixels, processed to 800 × 800 pixels for display. The outer diameter is 2.3 mm with a 110-cm working length, allowing it to
Results
A total of 111 inspections of 59 unique devices was performed. Five duodenoscopes and 6 curved linear-array echoendoscopes were produced by Pentax Medical (Tokyo, Japan), and the remaining 48 devices were made by Olympus Corporation. Five inspections used in the run-in period were excluded from the final analysis. An additional 9 videos were excluded because of loss of data or poor video quality (eg, inspection speed was too rapid). The findings of the remaining 97 inspections of 59 unique
Discussion
In this pilot study, systematic video inspection of the working channels of routinely used endoscopes revealed a high prevalence of visible defects in the channel lining and leftover debris despite manual cleaning, HLD, and forced-air drying. Compared with prior case reports, this study incorporated a larger number and variety of endoscopes, with a particular focus on elevator-containing devices, which were implicated in numerous outbreaks of patient infections.14
Among the most prominent
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2023, Gastrointestinal EndoscopyImproving mastery and retention of knowledge and complex skills among sterile processing professionals: A pilot study on borescope training and competency testing
2023, American Journal of Infection ControlThe utility of lighted magnification and borescopes for visual inspection of flexible endoscopes
2023, American Journal of Infection ControlCitation Excerpt :During this study, visual inspection with magnification and borescopes identified actionable defects that could interfere with reprocessing effectiveness in 100% of fully processed endoscopes. Previous publications described defects discovered by researchers,12,17,19,20,23 rather than nursing staff or reprocessing technicians. In this study, endoscopy personnel mastered the use of visual inspection tools with just a few hours of training and support by the research team.
Technological review: developments in innovative duodenoscopes
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DISCLOSURE: The following authors disclosed financial relationships relevant to this publication: S. Kim, A. Sedarat: Consultant for Boston Scientific. V.R. Muthusamy: Consultant for Boston Scientific and Medivators. All other authors disclosed no financial relationships relevant to this publication. The Inspection Scope and computer for video recordings for this study were provided by SteriView Inc.
If you would like to chat with an author of this article, you may contact Dr Muthusamy at [email protected].