Contamination and Disinfection of Rigid Laryngoscopes: A Literature Review.

Abstract

This article reviews current literature about the contamination of laryngoscope blades and handles, disinfection practices for laryngoscope blades and handles, and environmental effects and costs of reusable and single-use laryngoscopes. This review shows that inadequately processed rigid laryngoscopes may have the ability to transmit infections to patients and health care personnel. Although the laryngoscope handle has been considered a noncritical item that contacts only intact skin, health care team members should consider both the laryngoscope blade and handle as semicritical items and process them by high-level disinfection (HLD) or steam sterilization according to manufacturer's instructions. The fewest environmental effects occur when a reusable stainless-steel laryngoscope is processed by HLD. Laryngoscope costs are lower for processing reusable laryngoscope handles and blades by HLD and highest for single-use laryngoscopes. Evidence-based guidelines are needed to specify and standardize best practices for processing rigid laryngoscopes.