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Endoscope Storage Cabinets
Keep scopes clean, dry and secure with the latest systems.
Thinking of Buying …
Kevin Anderson, BSN, RN, CSSM, CRCST, CER, CHL | Detroit, Mich.
W
ith their hard-to-access cannulas and complex components,
flexible endoscopes are not only difficult to clean, but also
difficult to keep dry in storage. The biggest difference
among scope storage products is in their complexity. You can get a
basic cabinet for an affordable price, but if you really want to go all out
for your patients and staff, specialized cabinets with numerous scope-
friendly features are available. Here are several aspects you need to
consider when deciding which level of investment is right for your facil-
ity.
• Capacity. How many scopes do you have, and how many scopes
do you envision having in the next several years? Use that number to
find out how many cabinets you'll need to store them all.
My former facility recently spent around $100,000 on 3 storage
cabinets. We had 46 scopes at that time, but had plans to add to our
fleet. Each of the new cabinets held 20 scopes, which gave us the
aggregate capacity to hang 60 scopes.
Capacity can differ from vendor to vendor and model to model. With
limited space, which is virtually a universal problem in our industry, a
high-density storage cabinet might be your best bet. Remember: Your
scopes should never touch, and they need to hang correctly, so don't
go over the product's stated scope capacity.
• Channel-drying capabilities. This is a game-changer because evi-
dence now supports the use of channel-drying technology to prevent
biofilm from growing inside endoscope channels. The Association for
the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) ST91 standard
recommends that channels should be dry before endoscopes are
stored, and that scopes should be hung in such a way as to prevent
