When the endoscopic procedure has been completed, the outside and all channels of the endoscope are highly contaminated. The entire endoscope needs to be thoroughly cleaned so that the endoscope can be used safely on the next patient. But, how can the endoscope be cleaned?

How important is the Manual Clean?

Manual cleaning is seen as the most important phase in cleaning and disinfecting an endoscope. By properly performing the various steps of manual clean, you can remove up to 99.99% of all bacteria.

Biofilm protects bacteria by forming a layer around it. Due to this protective layer, bacteria are safe from chemicals and remain in the endoscope during the cleaning and disinfecting process. This can lead to cross-contamination.

Acting quickly and starting to clean immediately after the procedure is important to prevent biofilm formation, but also to prevent the multiplication of bacteria.

For example: E. coli divides every 20 minutes, 1000 E. coli has increased eight-fold after one hour to 8000 E. coli. As you can imagine, the sooner the manual clean is started, the better!