Clifford, Adrian Alexander
(2023)
Residual Moisture Following Endoscope Reprocessing and Drying.
Master's Thesis, University of Pittsburgh.
(Unpublished)
Abstract
Background:
The drying and storage of flexible endoscopes following reprocessing is critical to ensuring that bacterial contamination does not occur within the internal channels. At present, guidelines are inconsistent on the proper duration of a the forced-air flush used in endoscope drying and on the proper methods of storage. The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of forced air flushes and ambient storage during endoscope drying.
Methods:
Data was collected from a large urban medical center, stored clinical endoscopes and from endoscope models following reprocessing. Endoscope models were used to assess differences in drying procedures between internal channels, which might not be otherwise apparent.
Findings:
A significantly lower proportion of endoscopes treated with a 10-minute air flush retained moisture, compared to those treated with 3-minutes of air (16.7% v 53.1%; p-value = 0.027). There was no significant relation between storage time and the presence of retained moisture (OR 0.771; 95% CI: 0.561-1.030; p-value = 0.078). In model endoscopes, fluid was more prevalent within the air/water channels.
Conclusions:
The 10-minute air flush recommended by some current guidelines is not universally effective at removing fluid from endoscopes following reprocessing, but it is more effective than 3-minute flushes. Storage of endoscopes in ambient-air closets does not appear to aid in endoscope drying. Examinations of individual channels reveal that the narrower air/water channels may selectively resist drying with forced-air and during storage. Endoscopes should be dried with at least 10-minutes of forced air and stored in forced-air drying cabinets.
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Details
| Item Type: |
University of Pittsburgh ETD
|
| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
| Creators | Email | Pitt Username | ORCID  |
|---|
| Clifford, Adrian Alexander | AAC124@pitt.edu | AAC124 | |
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| ETD Committee: |
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| Date: |
15 May 2023 |
| Date Type: |
Publication |
| Defense Date: |
17 April 2023 |
| Approval Date: |
15 May 2023 |
| Submission Date: |
11 April 2023 |
| Access Restriction: |
No restriction; Release the ETD for access worldwide immediately. |
| Number of Pages: |
49 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
School of Public Health > Infectious Diseases and Microbiology |
| Degree: |
MPH - Master of Public Health |
| Thesis Type: |
Master's Thesis |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
endoscope; endoscope reprocessing; endoscope drying; High-Level Disinfection; Endoscope Storage |
| Date Deposited: |
15 May 2023 21:44 |
| Last Modified: |
15 May 2023 21:44 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/44524 |
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