Infection After an Endoscopy? Serious Illnesses Patients Should Know About

Written by: Yusra Javed

Millions of people undergo endoscopies, including colonoscopies and bronchoscopies, each year. Although most of these procedures are highly regarded as safe, reusable endoscopes can sometimes pose a threat to patients. Endoscopes have intricate designs and thin channels; many of their parts are heat-sensitive, making them difficult to properly sterilize. Together, these factors increase the risk of bacterial formation within the medical instrument due to poor designs, allowing harmful pathogens to potentially be transmitted from one patient to the next regardless of how exhaustive the disinfecting process is.¹

If you have developed an infection after an endoscopy procedure, it is vital to understand the symptoms and health risks associated with it. Four serious infections that have been identified with contaminated endoscopes include sepsis, superbugs, tuberculosis, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).²

Sepsis

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body negatively responds to an infection by causing inflammation throughout the body and organ damage. Common symptoms of sepsis include disorientation, clammy and sweaty skin, extreme pain, severe fevers, increasing heart rate, and shortness of breath.³

Superbugs (MDROs)

Superbugs, also known as multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), are bacteria with which many commonly used antibiotics are no longer effective. These types of infections are often tough to treat, might require hospitalization, and can lead to serious complications without a diagnosis.⁴

Tuberculosis (TB)

Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection that mostly impacts the lungs, but it can spread to other parts of the body. Some symptoms include constant coughs, night sweats, fever, fatigue, and sudden weight loss. Delaying appropriate treatment worsens tuberculosis, allowing it to become a critical health condition.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

HIV or human immunodeficiency virus attacks the immune system and substantially weakens the body’s ability to fight infections. This makes it easier to contract other diseases like tuberculosis, infections, and some cancers. Common signs and symptoms of HIV include fever, headache, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, and cough.⁵

While the transmission of HIV via well-maintained medical equipment is rare, it is nonetheless important to ensure proper cleaning and disinfection of reusable endoscopes for the safety of patients.

What to Do if You Developed an Infection After an Endoscopy Procedure

As post-endoscopy infections become a more common concern, we should understand that they can have serious and life-threatening consequences. If you or a loved one developed an infection, require hospitalization, or have been experiencing any worrying symptoms after undergoing an endoscopy procedure involving a reusable endoscope, seek medical attention promptly.

You may have legal rights if you have an infection linked to a contaminated endoscope. Contact our team for a confidential consultation to learn more about your options and whether you may be eligible to pursue compensation.

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Sources

¹Navid Omidbakhsh, Shresha Manohar, Roger Vu & Keyvan Nowruzi, Flexible GI Endoscope Processing: Challenges, Current Issues and Future Perspectives, 110 J. Hosp. Infection 133-138 (2021), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2021.01.021.

²Nikki Kenters et al., Infectious Diseases Linked to Cross-Contamination of Flexible Endoscopes, 3 Endoscopy International Open E259-E265 (2015), https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4554517/.

³Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, About Sepsis, https://www.cdc.gov/sepsis/about/index.html.

⁴Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Management of Multidrug-Resistant Organisms in Healthcare Settings: Background, https://www.cdc.gov/infection-control/hcp/mdro-management/background.html.

⁵World Health Organization, HIV and AIDS, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hiv-aids.