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: Semicritical Devices

Automated Endoscope Reprocessors Auxiliary Water Channel Best Practices Bronchoscopes Case Study Colonoscopes Disease Transmission Disinfection Gastrointestinal Endoscopy GI Endoscopes Healthcare-Acquired Infections Hepatitis (B and C) Viruses High-Level Disinfection HIV Infection Prevention Instrument Reprocessing Joint Commission (JCAHO) MAJ-855 Water Tube Medical Errors Risk Assessment Risk Management Root Causes Analysis Semicritical Devices

Root Cause Analysis of an Endoscope-Reprocessing Breach

April 30, 2013 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD

Initial remarks: This blog, which was written by Lawrence F. Muscarella, Ph.D. and is divided into 2 parts, discusses: a confirmed infection-control breach in a hospital’s Endoscopy Unit; the employment…

Automated Endoscope Reprocessors Auxiliary Water Channel Bedside Cleaning Biofilms Cleaning Agents Colonoscopes Creutzfeltd-Jakob Disease Delayed Reprocessing Disease Transmission Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) Food and Drug Administration Gastrointestinal Endoscopy GI Endoscopes Glutaraldehyde High-Level Disinfection Infection Prevention Instrument Reprocessing MAJ-855 Water Tube ortho-phthalaldehyde Peracetic Acid Prolonged Immersion Semicritical Devices Sterilization

Transmission of Infection during Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

April 15, 2013 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD

This post provides the abstract of a peer-reviewed article, co-authored by Dr. Nelson and Dr. Muscarella, entitled: “Current issues in endoscope reprocessing and infection control during gastrointestinal endoscopy.” This article…

Bronchoscopes Bronchoscopy Case Study Disease Transmission Endoscope Sampling Healthcare-Acquired Infections Infection Prevention Nontuberculous Mycobacteria ("NTM") Pseudo Infections Semicritical Devices

Distinction Between a “True” and “Pseudo” Bacterial Outbreak

March 19, 2013 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD

Initial remarks: This blog by Lawrence F Muscarella, PhD, uses a question-and-answer format to reveal the difference between a true and pseudo-outbreak caused by one or more bacterium. ♦ A…

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

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