Ultrasound probes are routinely being high level disinfected in a centralized location outside of the patient examination room.
This traditional workflow is common due to the safety limitations of disinfection with bulk liquid disinfectants.
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Soaking ultrasound probes outside of the patient care area:
•Logistically difficult
•Time consuming
•Involves multiple steps and quality control measures
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Ultrasonic probes used today at most fields of medicine for imaging.
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Healthcare associated infections (HAI) rates can be significantly reduced by implementing effective infection prevention and control practices (1).
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Inadequate cleaning and reprocessing of ultrasound probes and non-compliance with recommended reprocessing procedures may increase the risk of infection transmission and outbreaks arising from ultrasound (2).
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Death has been associated with improperly reprocessed ultrasound probes (3).
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(1) Australian Government/ National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Australian Guidelinesfor the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare (2010). NHMRC; 2010 (https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/guidelines-publications/cd33).
(2)ACIPC-ASUM. Guidelines for Reprocessing Ultrasound Transducers. Australasian Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine. 2017;20(1):30-40.
(3) GOV.UK Medical Safety Alert; Reusable transoesophageal echocardiography, transvaginal and transrectal ultrasound probes (transducer) – failure to appropriately decontaminate. (https://www.gov.uk/drug-device-alerts/medical-device-alert-reusable-transoesophageal-echocardiography-transvaginal-and-transrectal-ultrasound-probes-transducers-failure-to-appropriately-decontaminate).