Olympus announced the introduction of a new endoscope storage cabinet, the ScopeLocker with HEPA hinged door endoscope storage system (“ScopeLocker with HEPA”). This line expansion of Olympus’ infection prevention offering addresses a rapidly shifting environment in the gastrointestinal (GI) field, such as facilities being redesigned in response to COVID-19 impacts in their health system or region, or ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) being forced to adjust quickly to respond to sudden shifts in demand. The ScopeLocker with HEPA hinged door endoscope storage system advantages include:
 

• Protects endoscopes while providing features that address the efficiency needs of busy facilities
• Provides increased durability against the effects of wear and tear
• May be used with ChanlDry Drying cabinets as an effective combination for endoscope drying and storage.

 
“Busy endoscopy facilities have a range of needs,” said Carolyn Klimas, Executive Director, Infection Prevention Products and Software. “Our goal is to provide solutions for the uniqueness of each facility, which must weigh case volume, workflow and space considerations into decision making about endoscope protection and storage, all while continuing to maintain infection prevention as their topmost concern.”
 
Designed and manufactured in the U.S. by MASS Medical Storage exclusively for Olympus, the ScopeLocker with HEPA hinged door endoscope storage system is specifically designed with infection prevention in mind. The ScopeLocker with HEPA helps medical facilities strive towards impeccable infection control, in accordance with society guidelines, such as the AORN recommendation that endoscopes should be hung vertically with the distal tip hanging freely in a well-ventilated, clean area, following the endoscope manufacturer’s written IFU for storage.¹ SGNA indicates that endoscopes must be stored in an area that is clean, well-ventilated and dust-free in order to keep the endoscopes dry and free of microbial contamination.² Leaving a scope coiled in a horizontal position for a long period of time can cause the components to be under unnecessary strain and could be contributing to insertion tube buckling and potential angulation issues.
 
Correct storage of an endoscope “prevents damage to its exterior by protecting it from physical impact.”³
 
The ScopeLocker with HEPA hinged door endoscope storage system:
 

• Protects while providing controlled storage
• Features the Secure-A-Scope System and separator rack, providing rotating hooks for easy hanging, separation of endoscopes and easy access
• Enables at-a-glance endoscope availability
• Features padded lower walls that protect delicate endoscope tips from damage
• Enables vertical hanging, which maintains shape integrity and helps prevent insertion tube buckling
• Provides a controlled storage solution that fits well with an overall infection prevention strategy
• Prevents recontamination during storage by continually blowing fresh, HEPA-filtered air around endoscopes
• Captures 99.97 percent of particulates in a .3 micron filter, removing potential contaminants from the storage cabinet⁴
• Creates positive pressure inside the storage cabinet, which helps keep contaminants out
• Replaces cabinet air every two minutes
• Features a HEPA filter with a built-in fan that circulates air throughout the cabinet
• Features endoscope holders free of welds, glues or cavities that could promote bacterial growth

 
References
¹ AORN Guideline For Processing Flexible Endoscopes -Revised February 2016 for publication in Guidelines for Perioperative Practice, 2016 edition.
² Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates, Inc. (SGNA) - Standards of Infection Prevention in Reprocessing of Flexible Gastrointestinal Endoscopes, 2015 ed.
³ Source: https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/safeguard-your-scopes-tips-minimize-scope-repairs-and-maintain-reprocessing.
⁴ Source: Certificate of Compliance as packaged with each tested and shipped MASS Medical HEPA filter.