aScope Gastro Supporting Evidence
There are many reasons why choosing a single-use gastroscope is beneficial — to the clinician, to the practice and, ultimately, to the patient. Our aScope™ Gastro Evidence Dossier explores the many health outcomes such as contamination and infection, health economics, reprocessing, and more. Open one of the sections below to review full text and abstracts with links to their initial publication and research.
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Contamination and Infection
Disposable Gastrointestinal Scopes: A Systematic Review
Udine et al.
Disposable scopes have been shown to be effective in decreasing infection risks while maintaining similar safety profiles to conventional reusable scopes.
2024
Resistant Infections Linked to Gastroscopes — Is theConcern Sufficiently Recognized?
Muscarella
The risk of gastroscope-related “superbug” infections may not be sufficiently recognized in the U.S. and additional updated measures may be necessary to enhance gastroscope safety.
2023
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Borescope Examination and Microbial Culture Results of Endoscopes In a Tertiary Care Hospital Led to Changes In Storage Protocols to Improve Patient Safety
Wallace et al.
Borescope evaluations and microbial culturing should be conducted frequently to ensure safe endoscopy procedures. 22% of reprocessed GI scopes had positive microbial cultures.
2023
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The Utility of Lighted Magnification mand Borescopes For Visual Inspection of Flexible Endoscopes
Ofstead et al.
Visual inspection with magnification and borescopes identified actionable defects that could interfere with processing effectiveness in 100% of endoscopes.
2023
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Contamination of Flexible Endoscopes and Associated Infections: A Comprehensive Review and Analysis of FDA Adverse Event Reports
Muscarella
When comparing the number of adverse reports submitted to the FDA in 2021 to those submitted in 2014 satisfying this analysis’s inclusion criteria, gastroscopes displayed the most significant increase of any of the studied endoscope types, rising from 13 to 1,135 reports, or by approximately 8,630%.
2022
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Gastrointestinal endoscope contamination rates - elevators are not only to blame: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Goyal et al.
28.22% of reprocessed gastroscopes were found to be contaminated.
2022
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Gastrointestinal Endoscope Contamination Rate Beyond The Elevator: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Based On European Data
Larsen et al.
18.16% of patient-ready GI scopes may be contamined when used in patients.
2021
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Stated Contamination Rates Associated With Reusable Colonoscopes And Gastroscopes Amongst European Endoscopists: A Survey-Based Investigation
Larsen et al.
The average contamination rate for reusable gastroscopes was found to be 10.2%. 25.9% of physicians were unaware of the reporcessing setup at their endoscopy unit.
2021
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Analysis of the air/water channels of gastrointestinal endoscopies as a risk factor for the transmission of microorganisms among patients
Riberio et al.
Microorganism growth was detected in 70% (42 of 60) of the samples collected in the air/water channels of gastroscopes. These findings indicate that many air/water channels were still contaminated after reprocessing, representing a risk of cross-transmission of microorganisms among patients undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopic examinations.
2021
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Outbreak of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections from a Contaminated Gastroscope Detected by Whole Genome Sequencing Surveillance
Sundermann et al.
Whole genome sequencing (WGS) surveillance combined with a machine-learning algorithm of the health record reviews identified a previously undetected outbreak of gastroscope-associated P. aeruginosa infections. Three infections could have been prevented if the machine-learning algorithm had been running in real time.
2020
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High-quality endoscope reprocessing decreases endoscope contamination
Decristoforo et al.
3.3% of reprocessed gastroscopes were found to contaminated. This rate is considered low compared with results from other European countries possibly due to the high quality of endoscope reprocessing, drying and storage.
2018
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Rates of infection after colonoscopy and osophagogastroduodenoscopy in ambulatory surgery centers in the USA
Wang et al.
The postendoscopic infection per 1000 procedures within 7 days was found to be 3.0 per 1000 for EGDs.
2018
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Microbiologic assessment of flexible gastrointestinal endoscope reprocessing using a pump assisted sampling technique: an investigation involving all endoscopy units in Tianjin, China
Ji et al.
36 out of 72 (50%) samples from reprocessed gastroscopes were contaminated. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter lwoffii and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia were the most common bacteria detected.
2018
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Measures to improve microbial quality surveillance of gastrointestinal endoscopes, Endoscopy
Sailou et al.
From January 2008 to June 2015, microbiological tests of 762 gastrointestinal endoscopes were performed. A total of 264 endoscope tests (34.6%) showed a level of contamination higher than the target (<25 colony-forming units [CFUs]).
2015
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Surveillance cultures of samples obtained from biopsy channels and automated endoscope reprocessors after high-level disinfection of gastrointestinal endoscopes
Chiu et al.
32 out of 300 (10.7%) samples obtained from the biopsy channels of gastroscopes were positive.
2012
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Organizational Impact
Impact of novel lightweight disposable gastroscope and duodenoscope on endoscopist muscle activation: a comparative study
Bessone et al.
Standardized operation with lightweight single-use gastroscopes reduces the load on the left forearm muscles and favors muscle rest compared with heavier standard endoscopes. These improvements in user ergonomics may aid in preventing or delaying the development of tremor, fatigue, and injuries.
2024
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Single-Use vs. Reusable Endoscope Reprocessing: A Staff Survey on Safety and Effectiveness
Haislip et al.
Reprocessing reusable endoscopes continues to grow more laborious as updated guidelines add new processes to ensure appropriate disinfection prior to next patient use and adoption of single-use endoscopes may reduce the workflow burden on reprocessing staff and increase confidence in workplace safety.
2023
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Survey-Based Investigation Of Potential Organizational Issues Associated With Reusable Colonoscopes And Gastroscopes in Europe
Larsen et al.
13% of physciains "often" had to wait for a gastroscope to become availble prior to a procedure.
2021
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Reprocessing
Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Volume, Efficiency, and Safety Issues: A Case Report
Hoffman and Cool
Endoscopy centers don't always adhere to the recommended reprocessing steps. As the endoscopy world evolves, facilities will need to weigh their options to ensure not only that patients’ needs are met, but they are doing so in a safe manner by either restructuring their endoscope scope processes or shifting to new technologies such as single-use endoscopes.
2024
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Costs involved in compliance with new endoscope reprocessing guidelines
Hoffman and Cool
The additional steps outlined in the new AAMI reprocessing standards represent incremental costs of approximately $60 and an additional 24 minutes per reprocessing cycle. As more single-use endoscopes enter the market, facilities should consider the impact they may have on offsetting delays and/or increasing costs.
2024
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Establishing a clinically relevant bioburden benchmark: A quality indicator for adequate reprocessing and storage of flexible gastrointestinal endoscopes
Alfa et al.
3 out of 29 (10.4%) samples from reprocessed gastroscopes were contaminated after having been stored for 48 hours over the weekend.
2012
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Health Economics
Single-Use Gastroscope Usage and Implications In a High Procedure Volume Facility: A Case Study
Hoffman and Cool
The use of the aScope Gastro may not only provide cost-savings when compared to reusable gastroscopes, but enable extra bariatric procedures to be performed as a result of efficiency gains.
2023
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Clinical Performance
Feasibility of Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy With a Disposable Endoscope Platform
Keihanian et al.
The aScope Gastro's flexible and lightweight design provides advantageous ergonomics for longer longer procedures such as POEM.
2024
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Superior Backward Articulation in Disposable Gastroscopes versus Reusable Gastroscopes
Billy et al.
Single-use diagnostic gastroscopes achieved 21.9% superior retroflexion at baseline and over 30% superior retroflexion with instruments compared to the reusables.
2024
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Performance of a single-use gastroscope for esophagogastroduodenoscopy: Prospective evaluation
Van Der ploeg et al.
Single-use gastroscopes exhibited a high EGD completion rate and effectiveness for various indications.
2024
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One-Scope I: Evaluation of a single-use gastroscope in patients presenting with suspected upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage - a pilot feasibility study
Ebigbo et al.
Technical and clinical success were achieved all cases involving the aScope Gastro. The aScope Gastro is able to successfully treat patients presenting for urgent endoscopic evaluation and upper gastrointestinal bleeding.
2023
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Global User Evaluation of Ambu aScope Gastro
Pereira and Bruges
Single-use gastroscopes are a comparable alternative to their reusable counterparts given their extremely high acceptability (97%) and procedure completion (95%) rates.
2023
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Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection For Early Gastric Cancer, Using a Disposable Endoscope
Okimoto et al.
Single-use gastroscopes are a viable alternative to reusable endoscopes.
2023
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Diagnostic Esophagogastroduodenoscopy Performed Using a Novel Sterile Single-Use Disposable Endoscope
Lagström et al.
Single-use gastrosopce setups provide clinicians a portable endoscopy solution that also forgoes endoscopic reprocessing and repairs, further saving resources.
2022
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Download Evidence Dossier
View published peer-reviewed studies and conference abstracts on contaminated gastroscopes, infectious outbreaks, and organizational impact issues associated with reusable gastroscopes.
All included studies in our Evidence Dossier substantiate the clinical or organizational reasoning behind introducing Ambu aScope Gastro single-use gastroscope.
