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.
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