Endoscopic Leak Testing, Equipment Longevity, and Patient Safety

Endoscopic reprocessing is critical for patient safety and equipment longevity. A lack of leak testing or improper leak testing can lead to scope damage and infection control issues.

Leak testing is a crucial step in endoscopic reprocessing which detects fluid invasion in the endoscope (Rojo, 2018). When leak tests are not completed or are performed inaccurately, patient safety concerns arise, including the transmission of infection or injury (Ramsey et al., 2002; Rojo, 2018). Additionally, accuracy in leak testing performance is crucial for equipment longevity and to avoid costly repairs.

Recommendations from the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) include leak testing after scope use, and before manual cleaning, to help identify damage to external surfaces or channels that can lead to persistent contamination or to further damage (Benowitz et al., 2020).

Does your facility implement routine leak testing? If not, we recommend advocating for the addition of this step. To learn more about appropriate leak testing for your endoscopes, check out the Instructions for Use (IFU) document for your equipment.

Leak testing flexible endoscopes for laryngoscopy and/or flexible evaluation of swallowing (FEES).