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practice without known heightened CRE risks, no additional practices beyond
diligent standard reprocessing are advised by the FDA at this time, he says.
Some facilities, however, employ double cycles of washing and reprocessing,
culture sequestration or low-temperature sterilization with ethylene oxide (EtO)
after each use.
Reprocessing staffs are caring for duodenoscopes better than they were 12
months ago, says Dr. Petersen. "With what facilities are doing on their own, and
what we hope to learn in the next year, practices are changing rapidly," he adds.
Perhaps, but is it fast enough? It's insufficient for facility leaders to say Oh,
we've never had a problem, says Dr. Allen, who adds, "Relying on the facts that
an infection hasn't happened in your facility and that you reprocess devices cor-
rectly are dangerous and incorrect assumptions."
OSM
E-mail dcook@outpatientsurgery.net.
