1231 CE Online (1)

There are many products available to assist with performing quality checks for the cleaning process of the flexible endoscope’s channels. Use your facility’s prescribed materials to perform random or routine quality checks of the cleaning process to ensure the channels are completely free of debris and water. These quality checks may be performed before disinfection to ensure the best outcome of disinfection. Inspection for Damage and Visual Quality Use the following steps to inspect the flexible endoscope for damage. 1. Inspect the eyepiece for cloudiness or scratches. 2. Move the handle back and forth while watching the end of the flexible endoscope move to ensure there are no broken cables. 3. Check the connection of the flexible insertion tubing to the control body. There should be no separation at the connection point. 4. The covering on the flexible insertion tube should have no slits, cracks, burns or holes. 5. The distal lens should have no cracks or scratches. Check the endoscope after each use for image clarity as follows. 1. Hold the endoscope about three inches from a non-glare printed page. 2. Move the endoscope toward the page until it is almost one-quarter inch away from the surface of the page. 3. Verify that the image is clear and sharp, without any distortion. Discoloration or haziness may be due to improper cleaning or rinsing, moisture within the endoscope, a broken optical lens, or misaligned optics. The fiberoptic bundle should be checked for “peppering” or black dots or shadowy areas on the light post due to broken fibers. Check the fiberoptic bundles by performing any of the following. 1. Illuminate the light bundles with a portable light source and look through the eye piece to ensure there is adequate light (see Figure 16). 2. If no portable light source is available, hold the light post toward a bright light and observe the light emitted from the objective lens. 3. Direct the objective lens toward a bright light and observe the light post.

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