Storage cabinet design and infection prevention implications for long endoscopes.

Background: Adequate drying of endoscope channels following reprocessing is critical to inhibit microbial growth. This study evaluated residual moisture and bacterial contamination in endoscopes stored using different cabinets and storage methods.

Methods: EN-580T endoscopes were stored in 3 cabinets: TJ-908S and TJ-804S (both with active drying) and TM-804S (passive drying). Storage methods included full vertical suspension, partial suspension, and looped storage. Residual moisture was measured at 24 and 48 hours. Endoscopes were also inoculated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (10⁵ CFU/mL) and stored under each condition. Bacterial cultures were performed to assess microbial growth.

Results: In TJ-908S with full vertical suspension, average residual moisture was 23.9 μL at 24 hours and 17.6 μL at 48 hours. In TM-804S and TJ-804S using partial suspension or looped storage, moisture ranged from 289.4 to 383.7 μL at 24 hours and from 278.5 to 518.7 μL at 48 hours. Bacterial cultures from TJ-908S-stored scopes showed minimal growth. In contrast, those stored in TM-804S and TJ-804S exhibited variable but higher CFU counts, including samples with > 100 CFU.

Conclusions: Cabinet design and storage method significantly influence endoscope drying and bacterial proliferation. Full vertical suspension may reduce contamination risk and enhance infection control practices.