Dirty Surgical Scopes and Infection Risks

Medical scope contamination is a bigger problem than understood with 300 to 350 patients and 41 hospitals worldwide (most in the U.S.) reporting patients being stricken with bacterial infections linked to the scopes.  These figures may even be under-representing the true statistics given the fact that many hospitals do not always test patients for antibiotic resistant superbugs that cause the infections.  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been criticized for its lack of attention to this problem being the fault of the manufacturer rather than the hospitals.  Hospitals have reported following manufacturer instructions for in-hospital cleaning of the scopes, but infections have continued.  Olympus is a Japanese manufacturer of medical scopes and is the most prevalent manufacturer of medical scopes used in the United States.  The FDA decided to keep the Olympus medical scopes on the market, but the complex design of the scopes makes them very difficult to clean appropriately to prevent infection.  Body fluids and other debris can be stuck in the medical device’s crevices and joints despite manufacturer informed efforts at cleaning and disinfecting them.

If you or someone you love has experienced a bacterial infection after a medical procedure involving Olympus or other brand name medical scopes, contact your medical provider and do not hesitate to contact the caring experts at Inserra & Kelley Law Offices to see whether you may be entitled to compensation.