Researchers analyzed 275 flexible duodenoscopes, gastroscopes and colonoscopes for adenosine triphosphate — a marker of bio contamination — at five U.S. hospitals. Researchers measured the amount of ATP on scopes after hospital technicians completed manual cleaning with an enzymatic cleaner and flushing with sterile water, the first step in reprocessing endoscopes. The effectiveness of the second step, soaking the scopes in a high-level disinfectant, relies on this first step, according to the study.
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Overall, three out of 20 endoscopes failed to meet the cleanliness threshold of 200 relative light units, a measure of ATP. Specifically, 30 percent of flexible duodenoscopes, 24 percent of gastroscopes and 3 percent of colonoscopes had unacceptable levels of ATP. The authors suggested that the cleaning protocols for flexible endoscopes need improvement, according to the news release.
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