UPMC began investigating endoscope cleaning protocols after observing an uptick of antibiotic-resistant infections in patients who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in 2012.
Researchers found that standard cleaning protocols failed to kill all bacteria. UPMC began to use gas sterilization using for ethylene oxide for all scope disinfection.
National guidelines may call for endoscope sterilization, rather than high-level disinfection.
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