The column outlines several incidents over the past few years where patients were exposed— and in some cases infected — to the superbug carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) most likely due to contaminated duodenoscopes used in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedures. The piece then discusses how a healthcare institution should proactively respond when it faces a scenario of patient harm or a system breakdown.
Segal, whose firm provides a wide range of infection control services including development of comprehensive customized infection prevention programs, risk assessments, outbreak investigations and corrective plans of action, provides insight and guidance on a number of areas in the column, including the following:
"Regardless of how skilled the reprocessing technicians are, there should be a trained observer taking note of the process during each scope cleaning — particularly in the instance of duodenoscopes."
To read the ICT column, click here.
