Proper reprocessing of endoscopes and accessories is critical to the safe and successful
treatment of patients (American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy [ASGE], 2008). The
SGNA and ASGE support increased research in the areas of endoscope design and encourage
manufacturers to develop flexible gastrointestinal endoscopes that can be easily disassembled
for reprocessing and verification of cleaning and high level disinfection. The use of nonimmersible
endoscopes is no longer acceptable because endoscopes that cannot be completely
immersed in liquid cannot be adequately cleaned and high-level disinfected (Rutala & Weber,
2004).
Endoscopes reprocessed appropriately in accordance with reprocessing and infection control
guidelines pose virtually no risk of transmission of patient-borne or environmental
microorganisms. In the absence of defective equipment, every reported case of hospital
acquired infection associated with a contaminated gastrointestinal (GI) endoscope has been
linked to a breach or violation of at least one of several requisite reprocessing steps (Nelson &
Muscarella, 2006).