Beyond the VA colonoscopy/Hep C scandal: The UNMENTIONABLE reality: Endoscopes CAN'T be autoclaved:

[Faryn Balyncd]

The fact of the matter is that, since the introduction of non-autoclavable fiberoptic endoscopes, endoscopic "disinfection" has always been an imperfect art.

That this reality (documented here 16 years ago in Annals of Internal Medicine), has remained under the radar in the MSM, in this age of widespread undiagnosed hepatitis C and HIV, and at a time that millions of Americans undergo SCREENING colonoscopies, is interesting.

We seem to believe that sterilization of medical equipment was an issue for the 19th century.

The corporate medical industrial complex sees no profit in worried customers questioning the basic safety of current practice.

But the reality is that instrument sterilization has always depended on heat steriliation, and autoclave/heat sterilization will destroy expensive flexible fiberoptic endoscopes.

So these endoscopes are "disinfected" (NOT heat sterilized).

And "disinfection" procedures (unlike heat sterilization) are IMPERFECT.

The success of "adequate" disinfection is dependent on the diligence with which tissues is physically removed from biopsy channels and other hard-to-access nooks and crannies, and with the degree to which the chemical disinfectants have full contact with, adequate time of contact), characteristics of the specific and variable viruses, bacteria, and other infectious agents.

These are issues about which the corporations of the medical industrial complex would rather we not worry our pretty little heads.





The VA is not unique.

All over America, patients have been trustingly lined up for fully booked colonoscopy (and other endoscopic procedures), under the assumption that these endoscopes are STERILE (that such problems were solved with Pasteur).

And the VA Hepatitis C and HIV transmissions is certainly just the tip of the iceberg.

There are approximately 4 million hepatitis C cases, many undiagnosed, in the US.

How many have acquired (or passed on) their condition while undergoing a screening colonoscopy?





For a look at the reality of the IMPERFECT art (and multiple options for technician-dependent errors) involved in endoscopic "disinfection", consider reading these guidelines:
http://www.csgna.com/infection.htm

(And consider how reliably they must have been administered under the press of busy endoscopy schedules.)





Miami VA tests find 7 cases of hepatitis C, 1 HIV
Thousands of veterans have been tested in the U.S. after the discovery that contaminated equipment was used for colonoscopies at Veterans Affairs hospitals.



http://www.miamiherald.com/519/story/1005553.html



VA Reports 4th HIV Case Since Dirty Equipment Used
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h7Q_BB0OpsIswSFhXtUtnrBRl5UgD97P20800


Possible contamination at VA facilities sparks call for inquiry
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/24/florida.va.facilities/






Before submitting to mass screening endoscopy, don't Americans deserve the respect of an open and honest investigation of the presumed safety of non-heat sterilized fiberoptic endoscopic equipment?

[pnwmom]

1. Ugh. n/t

[Faryn Balyncd]

2. 25% of Endoscopes in US culture over 100,000 colonies........

Endoscope Reprocessing: Current Status of Disinfection Recommendations
William A. Rutala, Ph.D., M.P.H.
University of North Carolina (UNC) Health Care System and UNC at Chapel Hill

http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:R1hV1_T5LS0J:www.unc.edu/depts/spice/dis/endoscope.ppt+endoscopy+disinfection+problems&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a




Dr. Rutala also comments, relevant to HIV and hepatitis carrier status:
"Endemic transmission may go unrecognized (e.g.inadequate surveillance, low frequency, asymptomatic infections)"

[1]

3. well. that makes any future colonoscopy decisions easier...

no.

[Faryn Balyncd]

4. The point is not to discourage colonoscopies. The point is to make them reliably SAFE.

[1]

6. well, i didn't like the whole idea from the get go...

and this new information just makes the whole idea so much more not something i will participate in.

you want to shove some unclean thing up my ass, to detect some problem i might not even have, when the "detection" of this problem that might actually give me an even worse disease? hiv?

are you serious?

sorry, bud. i'll pass...

[ThomCat]

5. This is good information to know about

fiber optic based probes and scopes of all kinds. :(

I think I'll be asking more questions before some procedures in the future.