OMED Guidelines
OMED, in collaboration with the World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO), has developed a unique guideline on Endoscope Disinfection which provides optional methods of disinfection to meet the varying level of resources in different regions of the world. This guideline can be downloaded as shown below.
Introduction to the OMED/WGO Practice Guideline: Endoscope Disinfection (Douglas Nelson)
It goes without saying that endoscopy is an integral part of modern gastroenterology, and the enormous benefits of this technology have been well established. However, the importance of appropriate endoscope reprocessing is probably taken for granted by most practitioners. Large, comprehensive reviews of transmission of infection during endoscopy have demonstrated that when currently accepted reprocessing practices are followed (in the absence of faulty equipment), there have been no reported episodes of transmission of infection. A recent study of over 8,000 patients undergoing endoscopy that underwent pre- and post-procedure serology for hepatitis C virus in an endemic area found no episodes of HCV seroconversion, which should put to rest the notion that we are missing occult infections. This admirable safety record should not be a cause for complacency. We know that compliance with various reprocessing guidelines is not uniform, which highlights the importance of the following OMED/WGO guideline for endoscope disinfection. The strength of the document lies not in profound new insights into infection control (although it does an excellent job summarizing recent developments in the field), or radically new recommendations. In fact, the emphasis on mechanical cleaning of the endoscope as the most critical step in endoscope reprocessing brings us full circle to the origins of endoscope reprocessing, when this was often the only step performed. The fundamental importance of this document is that it represents a truly international consensus of over 150 gastroenterology and digestive endoscopy societies around the world, committed to a simple, uniform, and comprehensive standard to maximize compliance. A particularly novel aspect of the present guideline is the "cascade" concept, which attempts to reconcile a "gold standard" for endoscope reprocessing with a "minimum standard" for areas with more limited local resources. As medical societies struggle with making guidelines more global in scope, OMED/WGO has addressed this challenge with a thoughtful approach to endoscope reprocessing.
» View and download WGO Practice Guideline: Endoscope Disinfection (PDF file, size 248kB 
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Different language versions of this guideline together with accompanying annotated evidence is available via the World Gastroenterology Organisation website:
View and download further WGO/OMED Guidelines here
