Hung Out to Dry: The Importance of Endoscope Channel Drying Prior to Storage
Residual moisture within endoscope lumens during storage can help create a suitable environment for the growth of any bacteria that may remain after disinfection, waterborne pathogens present in rinse water, and even environmental contaminants.
Dry storage conditions may prevent bacterial growth and preserve the cleanliness of the reprocessed endoscope. This can be achieved in one of two ways: manually drying the endoscope lumens with pressurized instrument or medical grade air for an extended period of time after high-level disinfection and before storage in a conventional endoscope storage cabinet, or by placing the reprocessed endoscopes directly into a drying cabinet.
Please note that this white paper is based on the United States perspective and research.