Comparison of Brushing Efficacy for Gastroscopes Using Different Brush Types Under Simulated Contamination Conditions.

Background: Channel-cleaning brushes are an important tool in the reprocessing of endoscopes.

Aim: To investigate the efficacy of cleaning brushes composed of various materials in removing organic matter from the biopsy channels of flexible endoscopes.

Methods: A total of 168 cleaned gastroscopes were randomly divided into six groups (A, B, C1, C2, C3, and D) based on the specific characteristics of four different types of cleaning brushes. A suspension containing 12% bovine serum and 10ˆ6 units of Escherichia coli was injected into the biopsy channels of each endoscope to ensure sufficient contamination. After a 5-minute incubation period, brushing and sampling were performed according to the experimental protocol. The effectiveness of the cleaning process was evaluated using a protein detection test (PDT) and an adenosine triphosphate test (ATP).

Results: Cleaning brushes constructed from metal demonstrated superior performance in removing organic matter from flexible endoscopes compared to those made of plastic (p < 0.05). Similarly, brushes with bristles made of cylindrical DuPont fibres exhibited superior cleaning efficacy compared with those made of strip microfibres or caterpillar polyolefin (p < 0.05). The brush was passed through the biopsy channel four times and achieved better results than passing it once or twice (100%).

Conclusion: From the perspective of cleaning outcomes and economic benefits, the use of cylindrical DuPont fibre bristles and metal shaft cleaning brushes during the reprocessing of flexible endoscopes, combined with a cleaning technique involving four brushing passes through the biopsy channel, can more effectively remove organic matter.