Reusable endoscopes can transmit drug-resistant bacteria between patients because their components can trap tissue and fluid that survive disinfection. Patients may also suffer perforations that lead to internal bleeding or allow bacteria to leak into the abdominal cavity. Our Olympus scope infection attorneys are prepared to fight for justice on your behalf.
Design Flaws Linked to Reusable Endoscopes
Unlike surgical instruments that can be heat-sterilized, flexible endoscopes are too delicate for high heat. Instead, they undergo reprocessing, which involves manual brushing and rinsing, followed by soaking in a chemical disinfectant. That process is effective only if cleaning solutions and brushes reach every surface inside the device. When they do not, bacteria left behind by one patient can reach the next.
Certain design features make thorough cleaning difficult:
- The Elevator Mechanism: Duodenoscopes have a hinged component at the tip that angles instruments during a procedure. The recesses around this hinge trap biological material that brushes cannot reach.
- Narrow Internal Channels: Working channels, air and water lines, and suction pathways run the length of the scope. Some are too small for cleaning brushes, and others cannot be opened for inspection.
- Wear and Tear: Repeated endoscope use can scratch channel linings, crack seals, and loosen joints, creating new spaces for bacteria to form.
The Risk of Endoscope-Related Infections and Injuries
Contaminated endoscopes have been linked to serious infections, including:
- Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE)
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa
- E. coli
- Klebsiella pneumoniae
- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
- New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase-1 (NDM-1)
- Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE)
Without treatment, these infections can progress and lead to serious complications. These may include bacteremia, which occurs when bacteria enter the bloodstream and travel to organs throughout the body. Sepsis may develop when the immune system overreacts to an infection, damaging the body’s tissues and potentially causing organ failure.
Separately, the scope itself can cause physical injury. The device can tear or puncture the wall of the colon, esophagus, bile duct, or another organ. These perforations can cause severe internal bleeding and often require emergency surgery to repair.
Who Is Liable for Injuries Caused by Olympus Scopes?
If you developed an infection or suffered an injury after a procedure involving a reusable endoscope, you may be eligible for a lawsuit. Patients and families have filed claims against Olympus, a medical device company that supplies a large share of the endoscopes used in the United States.
As a medical device manufacturer, Olympus may be liable for injuries and infections linked to its endoscopes. The current litigation alleges that the company designed scopes that cannot be reliably disinfected, knew of the infection risk, and failed to provide adequate warnings.
Were You Injured by a Contaminated Endoscope? Contact Us Today
If you developed a serious infection or suffered an injury after a procedure with a reusable endoscope, Shapiro Legal Group, PLLC can review what happened at no cost to you. We will thoroughly investigate your case to identify the cause of the infection and pinpoint its source, drawing on our years of experience in medical device litigation to build a compelling case in your favor.
From the moment you hire our firm, our Olympus endoscope lawsuit attorneys will stand by your side every step of the way. Contact us today for a free, confidential case review.