Current status of cleaning and disinfection for gastrointestinal endoscopy in China: A survey of 122 endoscopy units

BackgroundAdequate compliance with the existing guidelines for cleaning and disinfection of gastrointestinal endoscopes and accessories is necessary to obtain high-level disinfection and prevent pathogen transmission.AimTo investigate cleaning and disinfection practice in China.MethodsA questionnaire with 21 questions concerning gastrointestinal endoscopy reprocessing was sent by e-mail to 189 endoscopy units in China.ResultsOne hundred and twenty-two (80.39%) of the 189 units responded. Compared with the low-workload units (<5000 procedures/year), the high-workload units (≥5000 procedures/year) had a significantly higher number of gastrointestinal endoscopes (25.8 ± 3.6 vs. 4.7 ± 1.8, p < 0.01) and the higher possessing rate of automated endoscope reprocessors (43.9% vs. 3.1%, p < 0.01). Glutaraldehyde was the most commonly employed disinfectant (88.5%) in all the units. In 23/122 (18.8%) units, the exposure time to glutaraldehyde was <45 min in the case of infectious disease patients. Eighty-six of 122 (70.5%) units reused disposable materials, of which 21/86 (24.4%) reused disposable forceps and disposable polypectomy hooks, and 2/86 (1.6%) reused disposable injection needles intermittently.ConclusionAlthough gastrointestinal endoscopy has developed rapidly in China in the past decade, there is still room for improvement in the practice of endoscopy reprocessing, especially in middle-sized and small cities.