UCLA TO TEST A NEW SCOPE CLEANER
Following a superbug outbreak involving three deaths, UCLA officials are about to test a new scopecleaning machine designed by a small Arizona company.
The experiment could attract considerable attention because many hospitals across the country continue to grapple with how to prevent lethal patient infections from contaminated endoscopes.
A number of U.S. hospitals have experienced outbreaks of antibiotic-resistant superbugs from tainted duodenoscopes, which are put down a patient’s throat to treat gallstones, blockages and cancers in the digestive tract.
The Food and Drug Administration, the Justice Department and members of Congress have been investigating the infections and potential safety lapses.
UCLA’s Ronald Reagan Medical Center is scheduled to install the new scopecleaning machine from Langford IC Systems Inc. next week on a trial basis and begin training employees on its use.
Dr. Raman Muthusamy, director of endoscopy at the UCLA hospital, said the new machine would be used as an extra cleaning step in addition to what the hospital is already doing.
“We are planning to study its effectiveness in the overall scope reprocessing protocol and see if it will be a useful tool for us long term,” Muthusamy said.
Muthusamy said the hospital was still working out the details of the test, and he said results may be available in a couple of months.
After an outbreak of scope-related infections from October 2014 to January, UCLA adopted the extra measure of sterilizing its reusable duodenoscopes with ethylene-oxide gas.
But gas sterilization has its drawbacks, such as high cost and potential damage to the scopes themselves. It’s also primarily done at outside facilities, and the service isn’t readily available in some areas.
A redesign of the hard-toclean duodenoscopes by manufacturers isn’t expected soon either. That has put pressure on hospitals to find new cleaning and surveillance methods that can ensure patient safety.
The FDA held a hearing in May on the safety of duodenoscopes, and it’s expected to issue further guidance to hospitals and doctors.
Terry Langford, the 71year-old founder and chief executive of the Tucson company, said the machine received FDA clearance in 2011 but hasn’t been used yet as an endoscope cleaner. The company’s vice president of marketing called UCLA after its outbreak to pitch the product.
Langford said the machine was different than other scope-cleaning equipment because it subjects medical devices to a powerful two-way water flow without the use of connectors.
Conventional scopewashers, known as automated endoscope reprocessors, push water and disinfectants in one direction like a garden hose.
Langford said the shearing action of water rushing back and forth does a better job at dislodging debris and bacteria trapped in tiny crevices of the scope.
“We have poured tens of millions of dollars into this. Now that it’s superbug time it will pay off,” Langford said.
Some medical experts said the machine is worth a look, but they remain wary until its effectiveness can be evaluated.