Enhancing Endoscope Safety and Reducing Infection Risk through Innovative Cabinet Design

According to new research in the American Journal of Infection Control, full vertical suspension during endoscope drying improves drainage and reduces residual moisture after reprocessing—a change that could lower infection risk by minimizing retained fluid.

Residual moisture in channels is a known driver of bacterial colonization; mixed suspension geometries and passive drying that leaves pockets of fluid is often used.

The study compared cabinet geometry and suspension orientation and found that aligning scopes vertically changed retained-fluid patterns, producing consistently lower residual moisture than earlier configurations.

Full vertical suspension was associated with lower residual moisture across external surfaces and internal channels, a result attributed to gravity-assisted drainage and more continuous airflow along the insertion-channel path. The orientation reduces pooling at bends and improves fluid exchange inside the drying cabinet, facilitating more complete external and lumen drying.