PPE for nasal endoscope decontamination during the COVID-19 pandemic

27 March 2020 (Last updated: 6 Oct 2021 14:27)

ENT UK’s position on this is that endoscopy is generally done with the assistance of a nurse or HCA.  It is important that assisting personnel should also be fully protected during the procedure and PPE should mirror that of the ENT specialist performing the endoscopy.

At completion of endoscopy, the assistant will continue with endoscope decontamination as per Trust policy. Full PPE will be worn throughout the decontamination process.

Some colleagues will be performing upper airway endoscopy as a single operator without an assistant. If this is the case, then the ENT specialist should place the used endoscope into the standard transport tray. The tray should be handed to the nurse/HCA who normally decontaminates the endoscope at the examination room doorway.

Endoscope decontamination should be done immediately.

The nurse/HCA should be wearing PPE that includes a bare minimum of double gloves, a plastic apron or ideally a gown, eye protection and a surgical face mask.

The endoscope tray should either be packaged for transfer to the Decontamination Unit as per Trust policy. Alternatively, the endoscope should be taken to a Dirty Utility room for chlorine dioxide (Tristel) decontamination. After washing the endoscope with soap and water, the outer gloves should be removed and the rest of the Tristel cleansing procedure should then follow in the recommended order. The Tristel decontamination process is active against COVID-19 and there should be no reason for Trusts to disallow this method if it is already in place.

 

Mr Andrew Swift, ENT UK President-elect, 27 March 2020