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Endoscopy News
Could a Low-Risk Surgery Help Your Chronic Heartburn?
Posted 30 Mar 2016 by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, March 29, 2016 – A minimally invasive surgery to treat chronic heartburn is safer than generally believed, and could be a desirable alternative to long-term use of acid reflux medications, new research indicates. Scientists found the death rate following so-called laparoscopic fundoplication surgery for gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, was far lower than the 1 percent often quoted. Experts contended the surgery might be underutilized, especially in light of increasing safety concerns about acid reflux drugs. "One of the main arguments against surgery when choosing between [drug] and surgical treatment for severe GERD is the risk of mortality," said study author Dr. John Maret-Ouda. He is a physician and doctoral student in upper gastrointestinal surgery at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. But, "this study found only one death associated with [this surgery] among ... Read more
Related support groups: GERD, Indigestion, Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal Disorders, Barrett's Esophagus, Duodenitis/Gastritis, Gastric Bypass Surgery, Erosive Gastritis, Gastrointestinal Surgery, Duodenitis/Gastritis with Hemorrhage, Hypersecretory Conditions
FDA Approves Redesign of Endoscope Tied to Infections
Posted 18 Jan 2016 by Drugs.com
MONDAY, Jan. 18, 2016 – A redesigned Olympus TJF-Q180V duodenoscope (a type of endoscope) that has a reduced chance of spreading infection has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. According to an FDA news release, Olympus is voluntarily recalling the older version of the duodenoscope, an instrument used to drain fluid from blocked pancreatic and biliary ducts without the need for more invasive surgery. These ducts could be blocked by cancerous tumors, gallstones or other gastrointestinal conditions, the agency said. Duodenoscopes are used in more than a half-million procedures each year. The Olympus device was redesigned because "there is evidence that some have been associated with the transmission of infectious agents, including antibiotic-resistant infections," the FDA said. The device's "elevator channel sealing mechanism" was modified to "create a tighter seal ... Read more
Related support groups: Infections, Endoscopy, Diagnosis and Investigation
For Endoscopes Tied to Serious Infections, Current Cleaning Methods Not Enough
Posted 5 Aug 2015 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 5, 2015 – Recent outbreaks of dangerous infections tied to endoscopic devices called duodenoscopes have grabbed headlines, and in March the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued strict guidelines on how best to disinfect the devices. On Tuesday, the FDA announced extra cleaning measures for the devices, which are used to examine the interior of the digestive tract. But a new study finds that 100-percent disinfection may simply not be possible under the recommended protocols. Even after what seems to be a thorough cleaning and disinfection, potentially harmful bacteria can survive on endoscopes, researchers reported. "Colonoscopes and gastroscopes can harbor residual organic material, including viable microbes, even when adherence with recommended reprocessing guidelines is verified," concluded a team led by Cori Ofstead, of Ofstead & Associates in St. Paul, Minn. In ... Read more
Related support groups: Infections, Colonoscopy, Endoscopy, Bacteremia, Diagnosis and Investigation, Endoscopy or Radiology Premedication
Despite Proper Cleaning, Endoscopes May Pass on E. coli
Posted 7 Oct 2014 by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, Oct. 7, 2014 – An E. coli outbreak at an Illinois hospital was caused by endoscopes that had bacterial contamination despite being disinfected in the recommended way, a new study says. The outbreak occurred among patients who underwent procedures with duodenoscopes, which are specialized endoscopes used to diagnose and treat problems in the bile and pancreatic ducts. These are not the same type of endoscopes used for routine endoscopy of the upper digestive tract or for colonoscopies, according to the researchers. "The complicated design of duodenoscopes makes cleaning difficult. It appears that these devices have the potential to remain contaminated with pathogenic bacteria even after recommended reprocessing is performed," Dr. Lauren Epstein, of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and colleagues wrote in the study. "Facilities should be aware of the ... Read more
Related support groups: Endoscopy
Endoscopes Not Always Cleaned Properly: Study
Posted 13 Jun 2013 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, June 13 – Three of every 20 flexible endoscopes used to examine patients' gastrointestinal tracts and colons were improperly cleaned, a new study finds. Those 15 percent of endoscopes had unacceptable levels of "bio dirt" – cells and matter from a patient's body that could pose a potential infection risk to other patients, according to the researchers. They examined 275 flexible duodenoscopes, gastroscopes, and colonoscopes used at five U.S. hospitals and found that 30 percent, 24 percent and 3 percent, respectively, did not pass a cleanliness rating. The study findings were to be presented last weekend at the annual meeting of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). "Three out of 20 is an unexpectedly high number of endoscopes failing a cleanliness criterion," lead investigator Marco Bommarito, lead research specialist at 3M Infection ... Read more
Related support groups: Endoscopy
GI Endoscopy Complication Rates Higher Than Suspected: Study
Posted 26 Oct 2010 by Drugs.com
MONDAY, Oct. 25 – Complications following gastrointestinal endoscopies – procedures performed to detect ulcers, cancer and other conditions – may be higher than previously estimated. The good news is that most of the problems reported were minor, such as abdominal pain, and the rate of serious complications is actually lower than previously suspected, according to a study published in the Oct. 25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. Although the overall risk of complications was two to three times higher than had been reported, the risk of severe complications, such as perforations and bleeding, heart attacks or even death, were lower than previous studies – about half of that reported in earlier estimates, according to study author Dr. Daniel Leffler, director of clinical research at the Celiac Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. Gastrointestinal endoscopic ... Read more
Related support groups: Endoscopy
