Wallace, Megan
(2022)
Assessment of Endoscope Reprocessing in an Urban Pittsburgh Hospital Using Borescope Examinations and Microbial Cultures.
Master Essay, University of Pittsburgh.
Abstract
Flexible endoscopes are highly versatile and useful medical instruments, and their proper reprocessing is critical to patient health and safety. The value of routine visual inspections and surveillance of endoscopes in an urban hospital setting was assessed by performing borescope examinations and microbial cultures on respiratory, gastro-intestinal, and urological endoscopes. Only gram-positive colonies were identified in endoscopes that had microbial growth. Borescope examinations revealed multiple abnormalities and damage including channel shredding, filamentous debris, water retention, discoloration, dents, and red particles. The red particles found in and outside of the distal end of bronchoscopes were caused by tip protectors used in the hospital. The use of that type of tip protector was discontinued in the hospital based on this study’s findings. Overall, borescope examination and microbial culturing used routinely as part of the reprocessing procedure is a highly effective way to identify endoscopes with damage, abnormalities, or harmful microbial growth that poses a risk to patient safety and public health.
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Details
| Item Type: |
Other Thesis, Dissertation, or Long Paper
(Master Essay)
|
| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
|
| Contributors: |
| Contribution | Contributors Name | Email | Pitt Username | ORCID  |
|---|
| Committee Chair | Frank, Linda | frankie@pitt.edu | frankie | UNSPECIFIED | | Committee Member | Yassin, Mohamed | yassinm@upmc.edu | UNSPECIFIED | UNSPECIFIED |
|
| Date: |
4 January 2022 |
| Date Type: |
Completion |
| Submission Date: |
6 December 2021 |
| Access Restriction: |
1 year -- Restrict access to University of Pittsburgh for a period of 1 year. |
| Number of Pages: |
40 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
School of Public Health > Infectious Diseases and Microbiology |
| Degree: |
MPH - Master of Public Health |
| Thesis Type: |
Master Essay |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
Infection Prevention, Sterilization, High-Level Disinfection, Medical Instrument Reprocessing |
| Date Deposited: |
04 Jan 2022 15:50 |
| Last Modified: |
04 Jan 2022 15:50 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/42011 |
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