Efficient endoscope inner channel surface disinfection using a two-step atmospheric pressure plasma treatment

TY - JOUR

T1 - Efficient endoscope inner channel surface disinfection using a two-step atmospheric pressure plasma treatment

AU - Northage, Naomi

AU - Simon, Stéphane

AU - Shvalya, Vasyl

AU - Modic, Martina

AU - Juergens, Thorsten

AU - Eschborn, Sascha

AU - Horsburgh, Malcolm J.

AU - Walsh, James L.

N1 - Funding Information: The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (Projects EP/N021347/1 and EP/S025790/1) and Public Agency for Research Activity of the Republic of Slovenia (ARRS) grants J2-4451 and J2-4490. The authors are thankful to Olympus Surgical Technologies Europe for provision of the endoscopic test materials and pH buffered peracetic acid. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s)

PY - 2023/6/30

Y1 - 2023/6/30

N2 - Flexible endoscopes are ubiquitously used in modern medicine to diagnose and treat a variety of gastrointestinal ailments; however, the inner channels of these complex devices provide an ideal environment for biofilm development. Incomplete or ineffective endoscope reprocessing introduces the potential for cross-contamination between patients, highlighting the need for a new approach to disinfection. In this study, the antibiofilm potential of a two-step disinfection process using cold atmospheric pressure plasma and plasma activated water is considered. It was revealed that the combined approach achieved a 5.72 log reduction of clinically relevant mixed species biofilms from the narrow lumens found within a typical endoscope. To investigate potential surface damage resulting from the decontamination process, the surface composition and morphology were examined using XPS, FTIR and AFM. Following multiple disinfection cycles, few changes to the surface composition or morphology were detected and the corresponding ability of bacteria to adhere on the surface was not enhanced.

AB - Flexible endoscopes are ubiquitously used in modern medicine to diagnose and treat a variety of gastrointestinal ailments; however, the inner channels of these complex devices provide an ideal environment for biofilm development. Incomplete or ineffective endoscope reprocessing introduces the potential for cross-contamination between patients, highlighting the need for a new approach to disinfection. In this study, the antibiofilm potential of a two-step disinfection process using cold atmospheric pressure plasma and plasma activated water is considered. It was revealed that the combined approach achieved a 5.72 log reduction of clinically relevant mixed species biofilms from the narrow lumens found within a typical endoscope. To investigate potential surface damage resulting from the decontamination process, the surface composition and morphology were examined using XPS, FTIR and AFM. Following multiple disinfection cycles, few changes to the surface composition or morphology were detected and the corresponding ability of bacteria to adhere on the surface was not enhanced.

KW - Cold atmospheric plasma

KW - Endoscope reprocessing

KW - Plasma activated water

KW - Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species

KW - Surface damage

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85150255768&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.apsusc.2023.156936

DO - 10.1016/j.apsusc.2023.156936

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85150255768

SN - 0169-4332

VL - 623

JO - APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE

JF - APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE

M1 - 156936

ER -