Noncompliance with FDA and society guidelines for endoscopic reprocessing: implications for patient care.
Flexible endoscopic instruments are very valuable in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with gastrointestinal diseases. Current guidelines for reprocessing these instruments between patient use are appropriate. Rigid adherence to these guidelines, however, will be necessary to reassure governmental authorities, other medical authorities, and the public that the risk of infection from these procedures is minimal.
DiMarino
A J
AJ
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107-5244, USA.
D004203:Disinfection / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D020776:Endoscopes, Gastrointestinal / Q000382:microbiology / Q000592:standards*; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal / Q000379:methods; D017743:Equipment Reuse / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods*; D007239:Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012955:Societies, Medical; D016312:Treatment Refusal; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration