Las Vegas—A fully automated process for cleaning duodenoscopes after clinical use far outperformed manual cleaning conducted by trained technicians adhering to manufacturer specifications, according to a new comparative study.
Cleaning—the step taken before high-level disinfection—is widely regarded as a weak link in preventing transmission of pathogens when scopes are reused. Automated processing using turbulent flow technology might be the answer, according to researcher Michael O’Donnell, MD, MBA, a fellow in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at NYU Langone Health, in New York City.