6 tips for proper,
patient-safe scope repair inspections
by Jon Fish,
Cardinal Health
To ensure that your endoscope has been
repaired correctly and that it’s patient-safe for the clinician to use,
follow these six tips:
- When inspecting a repaired scope, make
sure that it passes a thorough leak test. This is extremely important
for two reasons. The first is patient safety; one example is if the
endoscope has a leak anywhere in the insertion tube or its internal
components of the insertion tube, there is potential for a patient to be
exposed to the internal dry lubricants. From the endoscope side,
if the scope is not properly leak tested and there is damage to the
instrument, this will result in fluid invasion, which could result in
several thousands of dollars in additional repairs.
- The overall endoscope should have a
complete visual inspection to ensure there is no obvious damage.
Starting with light guide connector assembly, inspect the prong assembly
to ensure the lens is clean, free of debris and the lens is not chipped
or cracked. Next is the electrical connector; ensure the housing is free
of dents and that the electrical pins are not bent or corroded. Inspect
the light guide tube for dents and cuts. Next is the control body (head
of the scope); visibly inspect the switches for tears or cuts. Inspect
the free-and-engage locking knobs and the control knobs to ensure they
are not loose or have excessive play. During the visual inspection, run
your hands up and down the insertion tube and distal end ensuring there
are no sharp edges that could cause patient injury. Inspect the
insertion tube for dents and coating damage such as peeling or
blistering. The bending section rubber should be inspected to make sure
it’s not too loose or too tight on the bending section. The bending
rubber glue joints should be inspected to make sure they are not too
thick and that they are not separating at the edges.
- The tip of the endoscope should be
inspected to make sure there is no damage to the lenses such as cracks
or chips that may distort the image or light output and that there are
no sharp edges on the nozzle assembly as well as the entire distal end
cap.
- The control knobs should be rotated to
ensure no binding and accurate articulation at the distal end. If there
isn’t the appropriate articulation, the physician will not be able to
view critical areas during the procedure. This may result in missed
diagnosis of the patient.
- The endoscope should then be connected
to the processor so the image and switch functions can be
inspected. Once connected to the processor, make sure the white balance
function works properly. First, turn on the light source and ensure
there is adequate light output. Then place the tip of the scope into the
white balance cup on the processor assembly and press the white balance
button on the processor. This is critical to ensure proper color on the
image. On completion, cup the distal end of the scope in your hand and
inspect image quality. There should be a clean crisp image with no
distortion, fogginess or interference.
- The last step should be to depress the
switches to ensure proper function.
Now that you have completed all of your
inspections you should feel comfortable that you have a very well-repaired
patient-safe endoscope.
Jon Fish is director of scope and power,
Cardinal
Health OnSite Services.
Introduction
and Vendor Chart
Optimal Care & Handling of Scopes
Six Steps to Long Scope Life
Anatomy of an Endoscope
10 Best Practices for Cleaning and Caring for Endoscopes
Choosing a Repair Vendor
Organizing a GI Lab
Inspecting Repaired Endoscopes
6 tips for proper, patient-safe scope repair inspections
