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: Instrument Reprocessing

Ambulatory Surgery Centers Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Automated Endoscope Reprocessors Bedside Cleaning Best Practices Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) Cystoscopes Flexible "ENT" Laryngoscopes Glutaraldehyde Hepatitis (B and C) Viruses HIV Instrument Reprocessing Joint Commission (JCAHO) Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase]-producing K. pneumoniae ortho-phthalaldehyde Patient Notification Pseudomonas aeruginosa Risk Management Serratia spp. Sheaths Transparency

Risk of Disease Transmission during Cystoscopy: Discussion of a Specific Error in Maine

December 6, 2013 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD

December 5, 2013 —A hospital in Maine (USA) confirmed today a medical error — namely, that it had been improper cleaning cystoscopes after their use during certain urological procedures. This…

Best Practices Disease Transmission Endoscope Damage Endoscope Reprocessing Escherichia coli GI Endoscopes High-Level Disinfection Infection Prevention Instrument Reprocessing Legionella Outbreak Investigations Pseudomonas aeruginosa TEE (Transesophageal Echocardiography) Probes Ultrasound Transducers

Escherichia coli Infections Linked to a Contaminated TEE Probe

September 11, 2013 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD

September 10, 2013 — An article entitled “Outbreak of Escherichia coli Infections Associated with a Contaminated Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE) Probe” appears in next month’s (October, 2013) issue of the journal…

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…

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Gastroenterology & Endoscopy News Immediate Use Steam Sterilization (IUSS) Instrument Reprocessing Joint Commission (JCAHO) Monitoring Rinse Water Multisociety Guidance Rigid Laryngoscopes Sheaths Spaulding's Device Classification

Dr. Muscarella’s Review of the New Multisociety Guidance for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities

November 11, 2025 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Endoscope-Associated Infections Healthcare Quality, Safety Healthcare-Acquired Infections Medicare's HAC Reduction Program

A Proposal to Include ‘Endoscope-Associated Infections’ as a Reportable Medicare Measure to Promote Patient Safety

July 28, 2025 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD
Adverse Event Reports Food and Drug Administration Food Drug and Cosmetic Act Informed Consent Medical Device Reports (MDRs) Misbranded Devices Patient Notification Warning letters (FDA)

Hundreds of Thousands of Device Reports Were Submitted Late to FDA, a New Study Has Found, Raising Safety Questions

May 13, 2025 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD
Colonoscopy Endoscope Reprocessing Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) Hepatitis (B and C) Viruses HIV Patient Notification Vanderbilt Medical Center

Endoscopy Patients at Vanderbilt Potentially Exposed to HIV and Hepatitis, County Officials Have Confirmed

November 26, 2024 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD