Do’s

• Hold the endoscope in the left hand.
  • Left index finger controls either the suction valve or the air/water button.
  • The Left thumb controls the Big wheel. Individuals with large hands can reach the small wheels.
• Hold the insertion tube in the right hand
  • The right hand is used to advance and withdraw the insertion tube.
  • The right hand applies rotational torque to the insertion tube.
  • The right hand is used to advance accessories in the accessory channel. Ask your nursing colleague to hold the endoscope in position if necessary.
  • Although it is generally recommended to use torque instead of using the right and left deflection wheel sometimes this is necessary and is done using your right hand.
• Check your endoscope prior to inserting it in your patient.
  • Check that it is sucking fluid by inserting it in a bowl of sterile water and depressing the suction button (Red).
  • Check that it is blowing air by keeping the tip underwater and depressing partially/ covering the air/water button (Blue).
  • Check that it is flushing water by lifting the tip just above the level of water and fully depressing the air/water button.
  • Check that the lens is clear by pointing it to any written material (usually numbers on an endoscope) and looking at the screen to make sure you can read them.
  • Check that all locks are off including the variable stiffness in a colonoscope.

Dont’s

• Always handle the insertion tube carefully avoiding tight coiling, or accidental striking of the distal tip against hard surface.
• Avoid forcing deflection wheels. If they feel tight check that the locks have been unlocked.
• Never force instruments through the Accessory channel. This inevitably results in damage and prolonged / expensive repairs.
  • If an instrument is unable to pass through ensure that the endoscope is not in a tight loop or the tip has been deflected at a tight angle.
  • Check that the Biopsy forceps are closed and injection needles/ endoclip’s have been withdrawn back into their sheath.
  • Check that the diameter of the port is compatible with instrument being used.

An endoscope has 3 main sections

• The Insertion tube
• The Hand piece
• The Umbilical cord

The Insertion tube

• Flexible shaft: This is the part of the endoscope that transmits the push, pull and torque forces to the tip. It is susceptible to looping particularly during colonoscopy. Recent innovation with the now commonly available variable stiffness and the new overtube ShapeLock Endoscopic Guide (ShapeLock, USGI Medical, San Clemente, CA) has allowed endoscopist more control in preventing looping and reducing discomfort to the patient.
• Bending section: This allows manoeuvrability of the tip with movements up, down, left and right in response to turning the deflection wheels.



Image 2: Distal tip of an endoscope courtesy Pentax



Image 3: Components at Distal tip Courtesy Pentax

• Distal tip of an endoscope consists of :
  • Instrument / Suction channel. This is at 5 o’ clock position (endoscopic view) in a colonoscope and 7 o’ clock position in a gastroscope.
  • First  & second light guide which act as a light source.
  • Objective lens allows visualisation of the mucosa.
  • Air nozzle to insufflate air.
  • Water nozzle to clear the lens.
  • Water jet nozzle- water introduced with a syringe through the forward water jet connector comes to this port and gives a more powerful blast of water.

The Hand piece

• Up/down deflection wheels (Big wheel): This wheel moves the tip of an endoscope up or down. In the endoscopic view big wheel down results in the endoscope angulating upwards and vice versa. To further confuse you in actual 3 Dimension the endoscope is actually bending downwards but due to the way the optics and the visual image are organized it seems to be in the opposite direction.
• Up/down deflection lock: It is the knob with F written on it. To lock your wheel one needs to turn in the opposite direction of the arrow. This allows the endoscopist to lock his wheel in a particular position. This is usually in the setting of endoscopic therapy/ targeted biopsy.



Image 4: View of the deflection wheels and locks (side view)



Image 5: View of the deflection wheels and locks (Front view)

• Left/right deflection wheel (Small wheel): This moves the tip of an endoscope left or right. In endoscopic view small wheel down results in the endoscope angulating left and vice versa.
• Left/right deflection lock: It Locks the right and left deflection wheel.



Image 6: The Valves Courtesy Pentax

• Blue Air/Water valve: This is used to control the insufflations of air or flush water to clear the lens. Covering its opening or partial depression feeds air from the distal tip. Full depression flushes water to clear the lens.
• Red suction valve: When depressed this aspirates air or fluid through the distal tip. This is connected to the accessory channel. A biopsy cap needs to be in situ covering the accessory channel for the endoscope to generate the suction needed.

Top tip #1 Trainees have a tendency to use the index finger and the ring finger each to control both the buttons simultaneously. This results inadvertently in the opening of the blue air/ water valve being covered resulting in uncontrolled insufflations. The result is a distended bowel with tight angulations and a very uncomfortable patient. It is recommended that just the index finger is used alternating between the two valves to avoid this scenario.



Image 7: Accessory/ Biopsy channel and biopsy cap.

• Accessory/Biopsy channel opening: This allows passage of biopsy forceps and other instruments to undertake therapy. This is covered by the biopsy cap which creates an air tight seal necessary for the suction channel to operate. Therapeutic endoscopes such as on the image on the right may have 2 accessory channels. These allow multiple instrumentation and are useful in therapeutic settings eg GI bleed therapy.
• Remote Video buttons: There are 4 buttons numbered as such. These allow the endoscopist to remotely control freezing/capturing images, video or activating narrow band imaging. In our unit the settings are as follows:
  • Button 1: Freeze image
  • Button 2: Activate/ Turn off Narrow Band Imaging
  • Button 3: Start/ Stop video
  • Button 4: Unfreeze image



Image 8: Forward water jet connector (Opening just left of the video button 1) courtesy Olympus

• Forward water jet connector: This is rarely used and often forgotten but it is a useful adjunct when you want a water jet without removing the instrument in the accessory channel. This needs an irrigation tube to connect the syringe to it. The water jet comes out with force from the water jet nozzle in the distal tip.

The Umbilical cord

This is made of a flexible tube housing all the channels. The end of the cord is expanded to connect to the processor (PVE connector) and houses the air/water port, suction port, leak test port, light guide and the electrical contact.

Image 9: End of the umbilical cord and connection to the processor courtesy Olympus.

There are differences in PVE connector of the umbilicus with the Olympus and Pentax endoscopes. (See images 9 & 10). The main differences are the electrical pins with their soaking cap are on the right of the PVE connector in an Olympus scope while it is at the back of a Pentax scope. Secondly the water jet connector is at the PVE connector of a Pentax scope and in the hand piece of the Olympus scope. They both have ports for Air water and suction although these are organised slightly differently in both.

Image 10: End of the umbilical cord and connection to the processor courtesy Pentax

1. Pre-cleaning inside the room
2. How to do leak testing
3. Actual wash and manual cleaning
4. Automated endoscopic reprocessor
5. Storage

Before you read this chapter make sure you have read parts of an endoscope and how to set up the endoscope.

1. Pre-cleaning inside the room
   • Ensure correct Personal Protection Equipments (PPE) are worn at all times of decontamination ( Gloves, Apron, Sleeve protectors and +/- Visor)
   • Suck the endozyme solution immediately by pressing the suction button
   • Wipe the outer surface of the scope with endozyme soaked sponge

   
   Picture1: Cleaning outside with the sponge soaked with endozyme

   • Switch off the air/water pump and disconnect  the water tube

   
   Picture2 and 3: The water valve is turned off: and is disconnected

   • Switch off the suction pump and remove the suction tube from the scope
   • Take the scope off the processor and lay on the tray with wheel upwards
   • Put the soaking cap on the PVE connector head

   
   Picture4 and 5: The PVE head: covered with the soaking cap

   • Put the sliding lock onto the Air/Water valve

   
   Picture6 and 7: The channel separator

   
   Picture8: Titbits for decontamination

   • Put the tubing to the additional port next to the water port and put a special  metal adaptor on the water port

   
   Picture9:Tubing fitted on forward water jet port

   • In this picture the metal cap on water port is not placed yet but in lower picture it is

   
   Picture10 and 11: The metal cap is on the water port: and being flushed in the room

   • Inject endozyme into the ports ( suction/biopsy/water/ additional)
   • Put the Air/Water valves in the metal container ( tea strainer)

   
   Picture12: Water/Air valve in the tea strainer

   • Take the tray with the dirty endoscope to the cleaning area after covering with the tray liner ( the red liner)
2. How to do leak testing
   • Beginning step in the decontamination area is leak testing
   • Connect the leak tester to the leak test port
   • Increase the pressure to the required amount ( the green zone)
   • Keeping the pressure high, manoeuvre the tip of the scope to look for evidence of leakage- immerse in next stage in water only if leak test is ok.

   
   Picture13 and 14:The leak testing tubing with the green nozzle: tip to be manoeuvred

   • Take the leak testing tubing off
3. Actual wash and manual cleaning
   • Fill the sink with 15 litres of water ( temp less than 35 degrees Celsius) and add 60ml of Endozyme solution
   • Soak the endoscope in the sink
   • Take the sliding plate off the air/water port
   • Clean the valves( suction and water/air valve) with the short brush ( purple here)- Put the valves back into the tea strainer and also the metal cap of the water port
   • Next clean the control wheels and the tip of the scope and also the rubber water jet valve ( next to the water port)
   • Clean the ports ( suction/biopsy/water/ additional ) with the long brush ( blue here) x 3 times
   • Put the channel separator back again and flush all  the channels with Endozyme mixed water of the sink
   • Transfer to clean water sink and flush the port again with clean water
4. Automated endoscope reprocessor
   • Connect the different colour coded tube to the different ports

   
   Picture15: The colour coded tubes in the AER

   • A typical sequence
     • Red- leak testing port
     • White- extra water port
     • Orange-Biopsy port
     • Blue- water port
     • Brown- suction port
     • Green/Yellow- additional
   • Ensure that the tubings are not going to be caught in the rotating sprinkler
   • Close the lid, select the cycle and enter the scope details and hit the start button
   • The paperwork
     • Place the endoscope and pre-manual clean and patient ID labels in appropriate section of the Traceability/Tracking Logbook
     • Record Manual cleaning details and Loading of endoscope in AER
5. Storage
   • Blow air through the different channels to make it dry- Some of the trusts stopped doing it as prions thrive in dry environment. After cleaning an endoscope can follow either of these three paths:
     • Used immediately or within three hours
     • Stored in UV cupboard and then it can be used within next three days
     • Hang the scope in a well ventilated cupboard removing all the valves, seals, soaking caps and angulation locks for storage

     
     Picture16: Drying cupboard
     Then it has to be disinfected again before use next morning by passing it through AER machine ( but decontamination i.e. manual cleaning is not needed)

With an Olympus scope

Picture17: The blue AW channel cleaning adapter, flushing catheter, enzymatic detergent ( First step)
1. Then clean the outside of the scope with the soaked sponge in side the cleaning solution ( First step)
2. Switch off the air pump.
3. Dip the tip of the endoscope into the enzymatic detergent and the black plastic end of the rubber tube to the biopsy port and dip the other end in the same pot of enzymatic detergent.
4. Then close the air/water port with the blue coloured  AW channel cleaning adapter and switch on the air pump again. Some trusts keep the air pump on until cleaning is finished.
5. The AW channel cleaning adapter  continually blows air then through the air/water channel. It is dangerous to accidentally use this valves when doing a procedure as it continuously blows air in and can distend and cause rupture in colon. So that it does not happen it comes attached with a card. And when you depress that valve then it flushes the air/water channel with water.
6. Keep pressing the suction button and that will suck the channel thoroughly with enzymatic cleaner. Then you should lift the insertion tube/tip from solution and suck air.
7. Then repeat the procedure again but this time dip both scope tip and the flushing catheter in clean water pot. It is said that the fluid should percolate for a total of 30 seconds.
8. Remember air/water channel and suction/biopsy channel are two different channel and are to be cleaned separately.


Picture18: The Electrical connector to be removed…

9. Next remove the water/air catheter and suction catheter after switching off the pump.
10. Take off the cover of the electric connector and immediately cover it with the water resistant soaking cap.
11. In the next step of leak testing the leak testing catheter is connected to the air vent of the soaking cap.


Picture19: …And end is covered with the soaking cap ( the air venting port takes the leak testing catheter in the next step)

1. What do you need
   • Endoscope
   • Trolley or so called ‘stack’- processor and video display unit ( for out of hours scope both are in same trolley but normally video is on the opposite side of the patient compared to the processor trolley)
2. How to set it up from scratch


Picture 1: The stack/trolley, the endoscope and the other accessories: Courtesy Olympus

3. Endoscope
   • Remove the chosen endoscope from the UV cabinet after disconnecting the tubing- wear gloves
   • Put it in a clean tray along with the buttons ( air/water and suction button, pre-cleaning tubing and flushing valve) and covered with green tray cover
   • For Pentax both video processor and the light source are housed in the same box ( see picture below). So after removing the soaking cap from the PVE end and insert the end to the combined video processor cum light source box.

   

   • For Olympus scopes video processor is separate from the light source, kept on the top of the light source box and is connected to the electrical connection ring on the right side of the expanded end of the umbilicus (ie PVE end) of the scope via a curly cable ( see picture below)

   

4. Attach suction and water feed
   • Attach the suction tube to the suction port ( on the left of the  expanded end of the umbilical cord ie PVE connector -looking from above- see the picture below)- the suction is normally provided by a stand alone suction unit but from wall sucker in out of hours emergency scopes

   
   Picture 15: Connection of a Pentax endoscope: Water bottle needs to be filled to proper level and valve turned on

   
   Picture 15: Connection of a Olympus  endoscope: Water bottle needs to be filled to proper level

   
   Picture16 :To attach air/water  cable for Olympus -push- clockwise turn-push again

   • Fill the water bottle with the required amount of water and clip it to the side of the processor and attach it to the water port ( simple push in for Pentax and push-turn-push for Olympus scopes).Turn the valve on, located on the bottle for Pentax scopes. You should hear hissing sound as air escapes from the air/water port on the control section of the scope.
5. Processor
   • Switch on the processor ( single switch for Pentax but for Olympus you need to switch on both video processor, light source separately plus there is a master switch on the top panel and registrars have been fooled for long time during out of hour endoscopy when clever endoscopy nurses are not around to show the ropes!)
   • Enter the patient details on the keyboard if picture is needed ( not done in out of hours emergency endoscopy)
   • White balance- put the tip of the scope inside the white balance tube and press white balance- the screen will show when it is complete
6. Remember to switch on the suction from the wall/ from the stand alone suction machine- you hear a  second hissing sound
7. Checking before you start
   • Check scope is sucking and blowing air and water by pressing the respective buttons- if suction is not working – check suction is on both in the periphery and also on the processor or whether biopsy valve is missing or the suction bottle is full and needs emptying
   • Take any locks off on the control knob and any stiffening off ( for variable stiffening colonoscope)
   • Ensure biopsy cap is in place
   • Ensure the air/pump pressure is set as wanted ( keep it low for colonoscopy/flexible sigmoidoscopy)
8. Once you finish proceed to immediate pre-cleaning ( see the chapter on How to clean an endoscope)
9. Switch off the processor and the light source
10. Detach the water pipe and the suction tube ( after switching off the suction)


Picture 17: Switch off air/water pump and remove the tube

11. Remove the scope from the processor and put the soaking cap on
12. Cover the tray with red cover and take it to the decontamination area
13. Don’t forget to log the scope number with patient ID label.

Few other bits and bobs you must remember before setting off:

Trouble shooting

1. No air
   • The air pump is not switched on – press low/med/high button on the light source
   • The air/Water valve is damaged- replace it
   • Outlet nozzle at distal end is blocked- flush through the biopsy channel
2. No water delivery
   • As above and also
   • No sterile water in the water container- fill 2/3rd with sterile water
3. No suction
   • Biopsy valve is not attached/damaged
   • Suction pump is not working- check suction setting
   • Suction channel is blocked- brush or flush suction channel
4. Air/water or suction  valve is sticky- replace /clean
5. Air/Water or suction valve is not fitting- wrong valve or damaged- replace
6. No image
   • Power switch not on- switch on
   • The scope not slotted in properly into the processor- reattach
   • Break in the cable- commonly at the junction of the control section and the insertion tube- send to factory
   • Connection to the video monitor loose- reattach
   • Image hazy- objective lens dirty- clean or flush
   • Image colour strange- white balance was not done properly