Discussions in Infection Control

An independent site by Lawrence F Muscarella PhD -- a national authority on the causes and prevention of healthcare-associated infections and related errors.

Category: Flexible “ENT” Laryngoscopes

Best Practices Biological Indicators Biopsy Forceps Central Sterile Processing Critical Device Classifications Endoscope Reprocessing Flexible "ENT" Laryngoscopes Hepatitis (B and C) Viruses High-Level Disinfection HIV Infection Prevention Instrument Reprocessing Intermediate-Level Disinfection Low-Level Disinfection Low-Temperature Sterilization Noncritical ortho-phthalaldehyde Prions Rigid Arthroscopes Semicritical Devices

Disinfection or Sterilization of a Contaminated Reusable Instrument?

September 4, 2013 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD

Selection of the “right” sterilization or disinfection process, or technology, for reprocessing a specific type of reusable instrument may not always be straightforward. This is often because the instrument is…

Central Sterile Processing Cystoscopes Flexible "ENT" Laryngoscopes Healthcare-Acquired Infections High-Level Disinfection Instrument Reprocessing Intermediate-Level Disinfection Low-Level Disinfection Noncritical Semicritical Devices Sheaths

The Reprocessing of Sheathed “ENT” Endoscopes, Cystoscopes, and Other Types of Flexible Endoscopes

May 17, 2013 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD

A number of years ago this blog’s founder – Dr. Lawrence F Muscarella – wrote the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requesting the Agency review for clarity and consistency, among…

Colonoscopes Disposable Irrigation Tubing Flexible "ENT" Laryngoscopes Hepatitis (B and C) Viruses High-Level Disinfection Instrument Reprocessing MAJ-855 Water Tube San Juan Weekly Semicritical Devices Sheaths Transvaginal Ultrasound Probes Veterans Health Administration

Potentially Faulty Assessment by the Veterans Health Administration of the Risk of Infection Associated with a Number of Confirmed Breaches

January 10, 2013 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD

This article by Lawrence F Muscarella, PhD, discusses the Veterans Health Administration’s (VHA) assessment in 2009 that the risk of healthcare-acquired infections associated with several instrument-reprocessing breaches recently identified within…

You missed

Adverse Event Reports Case Reviews Colonoscopes Colonoscopy Endoscope Reprocessing Risk Assessment Salmonella

17 U.S. Patients Were Exposed in December to a Colonoscope Contaminated with Salmonella Bacteria, FDA Reports Reveal

January 24, 2024 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD
Adverse Event Reports Ambu Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) COVID-19 Endoscope Reprocessing Rebuttals Single-Use TPT Medicare Payment Status

In Support of Patient Safety, Healthcare Access, and Medicare Payment for a Single-Use Bronchoscope Model

January 8, 2024 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD
Adulterated Devices Adverse Event Reports Device Recalls Duodenoscopes with Disposable Components Endoscope Reprocessing Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) FUJIFILM ED-580XT MAJ-2315 Misbranded Devices Olympus TJF-Q190V Single-Use Endcap with Elevator Warning letters (FDA)

Guidance to Prevent Adverse Events, Including Mucosal Tissue Injuries, When Using Duodenoscopes with a Single-Use Endcap

August 2, 2023 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD
Adverse Event Reports Candida auris Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) Duodenoscopes Endoscope Reprocessing Escherichia coli Gastroscopes MAUDE Medical Device Reports (MDRs) Risk Assessment Single-Use Disposable Devices

Gastroscopes Have Been Linked to A Cluster of Resistant E. coli Infections — Is the Risk Sufficiently Recognized?

January 6, 2023 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD