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: Best Practices

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…

Best Practices Case Study Disease Transmission Healthcare-Acquired Infections Hepatitis (B and C) Viruses HIV Infection Prevention IV Infusions Multi-Dose Medicine Vials Outbreak Investigations Sterility The Reuse of Single-Use Devices

Answers Sought in Hepatitis Infection at a Hospital in New Hampshire

August 19, 2013 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD

Report: “Answers Sought in Hepatitis Infection” This newspaper article discusses a recent outbreak of the hepatitis C virus due to the alleged theft of intravenous (IV) drugs. The following is…

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