Air Circulation In Gastrointestinal Light Source Box And Endoscope In The Era Of Sars-Cov-2 And Microorganisms Airborne Transmission

Aims The role of air circulation through GI endoscopy system in microorganism airborne transmission has never been investigated. We discuss the potential risk of transmission and potential improvements.

Methods We investigated and described the air circulation into GI endoscopes proposed by companies (Fujifilm©, Olympus©, Pentax©).

Results The light source box contains a lamp, either Xenon or LED. The temperature of light is high and is regulated by a forced-air cooling system to maintain a stable temperature in the middle of the box. The air used by the forced-air cooling system is sucked from the closed environment of the patient through an aeration port, located close to the light source and evacuated out of the box by one or two ventilators. No filter existed to avoid the dispersion of particles outside of the processor box. The light source box also contains an insufflation air pump. The air is sucked from the light source box through one or two holes of the air pump and pushed from the air pump into the air pipe of the endoscope through a plastic tube. As the air pump did not had no dedicated HEPA filter, microorganisms transmission cannot be excluded.

Conclusions Changes are necessary to prevent airborne transmission: exclusive use of an external CO2 pump and wrapping the endoscope platform by a plastic film that will limit microorganism scattering. In the era of pandemic virus with airborne transmission, improvement of GI ventilation system are necessary to avoid patients and health care workers contamination.

Citation Chaussade S, Abou Ali E, Hallit R et al. eP506 AIR CIRCULATION IN GASTROINTESTINAL LIGHT SOURCE BOX AND ENDOSCOPE IN THE ERA OF SARS-COV-2 AND MICROORGANISMS AIRBORNE TRANSMISSION. Endoscopy 2021; 53: S266.

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Artikel online veröffentlicht:
19. März 2021