ASGE Masterclass: Infection Control (Live Virtual) | June 2021-Muthusamy_ASGE Landscape of Infectious Risk to Patients Talk

Muthusamy_ASGE Landscape of Infectious Risk to Patients Talk

Pdf Summary

This document discusses the landscape of infectious risk to patients undergoing endoscopy procedures, particularly focusing on the transmission of infections through duodenoscopes. The document highlights previous cases of endoscope-related infections, including cases of Salmonella, Pseudomonas, and various strains of hepatitis. The document emphasizes that until recently, all cases of cross-contamination from endoscopes have been associated with breaches in cleaning protocols.<br /><br />The document also discusses the specific issue of CRE (Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae) outbreaks related to duodenoscopes. It provides a timeline of various outbreaks and their associated infections and deaths. The document highlights the challenges of detecting outbreaks and underreporting due to uncertainties regarding etiology and obligations, as well as a fear of negative consequences.<br /><br />The document further discusses the current protocols and measures being taken to minimize endoscope-transmitted infections, including the use of ethylene oxide (EtO) sterilization and culturing techniques. It provides examples of specific studies and investigations conducted at various healthcare institutions, such as UCLA and Virginia Mason Medical Center, to identify risk factors and develop effective protocols. The challenges and impacts of implementing these protocols are also discussed.<br /><br />The document concludes by discussing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on endoscopy procedures and highlights the need to adopt best practices learned from the pandemic to prevent future outbreaks and ensure patient safety during endoscopy procedures.

Keywords

infectious risk

endoscopy procedures

duodenoscopes

cross-contamination

CRE outbreaks

cleaning protocols

ethylene oxide sterilization

culturing techniques

healthcare institutions

COVID-19 pandemic