Flexible Endoscope Reprocessing Flashcards
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Read the first 6 Flexible Endoscope Reprocessing flashcards as text
According to ANSI/AAMI ST91, what is the FIRST step in flexible endoscope reprocessing after a procedure?
Answer: Point-of-use pre-cleaning: wiping the insertion tube and flushing channels with detergent solution or water at the procedure site
Point-of-use pre-cleaning (wiping the insertion tube and flushing channels with enzymatic solution or water) must be performed immediately after removal from the patient to prevent soil from drying before formal reprocessing.
A leak test is performed on a flexible endoscope BEFORE manual cleaning primarily to:
Answer: Detect any damage to the outer sheath or internal channels that would allow fluids to enter the scope internal components
The pre-cleaning leak test detects damage to the endoscope outer sheath or seals; if fluid enters during reprocessing through a breach, internal components can be permanently damaged.
Which disinfection level is required for flexible endoscopes used in procedures that contact mucous membranes (e.g., upper GI endoscopes)?
Answer: High-level disinfection (HLD)
Flexible endoscopes that contact mucous membranes are classified as semi-critical items under Spaulding Classification and require at least high-level disinfection (HLD).
What is the significance of minimum effective concentration (MEC) testing for high-level disinfectants used in endoscope reprocessing?
Answer: MEC testing verifies the disinfectant has not been diluted below the concentration required to achieve HLD
MEC testing verifies that the high-level disinfectant concentration has not dropped below the effective threshold due to repeated use or dilution, ensuring it remains capable of achieving HLD.
After high-level disinfection, flexible endoscopes must be rinsed with:
Answer: Sterile water or filtered water meeting bacterial quality standards, with each channel flushed completely
AAMI ST91 requires rinsing endoscopes after HLD with sterile water or filtered high-quality water to remove disinfectant residues that could harm patients, flushing all channels completely.
What is the recommended maximum hang-time for a reprocessed flexible endoscope stored in a ventilated drying cabinet?
Answer: Per the facility validated written protocol, often 5 to 7 days in a ventilated cabinet; after which the scope must be reprocessed before use
Reprocessed endoscopes must be stored per a facility-validated hang-time protocol; AAMI ST91 allows facilities to establish validated hang-times, often 5 to 7 days in ventilated cabinets, after which reprocessing is required.