Disinfection Efficacy of a New Endoscope Reprocessing System Using Electrolyzed Acid Water: An In-Use Evaluation.
- Author:
Jun Haeng LEE
1
;
Poong Lyul RHEE
;
Jae Hoon SONG
;
Nam Yong LEE
;
Yun Jeong LIM
;
Jae Kwon JANG
;
Young Ho KIM
;
Jae Jun KIM
;
Seung Woon PAIK
;
Jong Chul RHEE
;
Kyoo Wan CHOI
Author Information
1. Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Endoscope;
Disinfection;
Electrolyzed acid water
- MeSH:
Biopsy;
Disinfection*;
Endoscopes*;
Ethanol;
Pseudomonas;
Umbilical Cord;
Water*
- From:Korean Journal of Infectious Diseases
2001;33(2):133-138
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Electrolyzed acid water (EAW) is a new liquid chemical germicide containing a mixture of oxidizing species and prepared by mixing a small amount of salt with tap water in an electrolyzer. We attempted an in-use evaluation of the high-level disinfection capability of Cleantop WM-1 , a new endoscope reprocessing system using EAW. METHODS: Forty-seven flexible endoscopes were randomly collected just after upper endoscopic examinations and were disinfected using Cleantop WM-1 . Parts of the endoscopes without contact to EAW were disinfected with 75% ethyl alcohol. Immediately after the disinfection procedure, samples were taken from the biopsy channel (S-1), tip of the insertion tube (S- 2), the umbilical cord (S-3), and the angulation knob (S-4). RESULTS: In EAW-disinfected parts of the endoscopes, the culture-positive rates were 4.3% (2/47) in S-1 samples and 12.8% (6/47) in S-2 samples. In ethyl alcohol-disinfected area, the culture-positive rates were 2.1% (1/47) in S-3 samples and 25.5% (12/47) in S-4 samples. The colony counts of culture-positive samples ranged from 1 to 144. Pseudomonas aeruginasa was recovered from the angulation knob of an endoscope, but other contaminating organisms were mostly: normal flora or opportunistic pathogens. CONCLUSOIN: Although parts of the endoscopes disinfected with 75% ethyl alcohol were contaminated with more organisms than EAW-disinfected areas, Cleantop WM-1 showed a relatively good disinfection efficacy in reprocessing patient-used endoscopes.
