Page 14 - The Care and Handling of Flexible Scopes v3

Care of Flexible Endoscopes

There are many products available to assist with performing quality checks for the cleaning
process of the flexible endoscope’s channels. Use your facility’s prescribed materials to
perform random or routine quality checks of the cleaning process to ensure the channels
are completely free of debris and water. These quality checks may be performed before
disinfection to ensure the best outcome of disinfection.

11. Inspection for Damage and Visual Quality

Use the following steps to inspect the flexible endoscope for damage:

1. Inspect the eyepiece for cloudiness or scratches.
2. Move the handle back and forth while watching the end of the flexible endoscope
move to ensure there are no broken cables.
3. Check the connection of the flexible insertion tubing to control the body. There
should be no separation at the connection point.
4. The Covering on the flexible insertion tube should have no slits, cracks, burns or
holes.
5. The distal lens should have no cracks or scratches.

Check the endoscope after each use for image clarity as follows:

1. Hold the endoscope about three inches from a no-glare printed page.
2. Move the endoscope toward the page until it is almost one-quarter inch away from
the surface of the page.
3. Verify that the image is clear and sharp, without any distortion. Discoloration or
haziness may be due to improper cleaning or rinsing, moisture within the endoscope,
a broken optical lens, or misaligned optics.

The fibre optic bundle should be checked for “peppering” or black dots or shadowy
areas on the light post due to broken fibres. Check the fibre optic bundles by performing
any of the following:

1. Illuminate the light bundles with a portable light source and
look through the eye piece to ensure there is adequate light
(see Figure 8).
2. If no portable light source is available, hold the light post
toward a bright light and observe the light emitted from the
objective lens.
3. Direct the objective lens toward a bright light and observe
the light post.

Figure 8 – Check the Light Output with a Portable Light Source

Page | 14 Avensys UK Ltd