Decontamination and Traceability of Flexible Endoscopes

Abstract

The Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) departments at Glasgow's Southern General Hospital use their 21 flexible endoscopes on a daily basis for a variety of surgical and anaesthetic procedures, including difficult intubations and the examination of the throat and airway. This article will examine the possible risks to the patient with these procedures and some cost-effective methods of minimising those risks within these departments.