Clinical Significance of Sterilization of Endoscopic Instrument

Abstract

Abstract: Since the first successful isolation of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) from human gastric mucosa, this Organism has been demonstrated to be closely related to chronic, active gastritis and peptic ulcerations. It also promotes glandular atrophy of the gastric mucosa, and adversely affects healing and or relapse of peptic ulcers in man. However, the source of H. pylori infection has remained controversial. In our clinic, AGML developed in 2–3% of patients endoscoped. In some of these patients, phenol red dye spraying endoscopy was performed before and after the test, and H. pylori infection after the preceding endoscopy wm ascertained with the phenol red reaction and in culture.To prevent H. pylori infection from contaminating endoscopic instruments, several sterilization methods using running water, 70% ethanol, 0.2% benzalkonium chloride and 2% glutaraldehyde were compared. The results obtained showed that sterilization of endoscopic instruments with running water or 70% ethanol was insufficient to eliminate the risk of H. pylori infection, whereas sterilization with 0.2% benzalkonium chloride or 2% glutaraldehyde was sufficient. It was especially important that the biopsy channel was washed with these latter solutions.