Table 1. Publications related to damaged or defective flexible endoscopes .
| Reference | Origin | Micro-organism(s) (resistance) |
Problem | No. of patients exposed (positive cultures) | No. of infections (type(s)) | Action taken |
| 9 | Bronchoscope | Pseudomonas aeruginosa | Several defects in the different tubes and bending section | 20 (11) | 2 (sepsis, pneumonia) | Preventive maintenance |
| 10 | Bronchoscope | Pseudomonas aeruginosa | Damaged internal channel due to defective biopsy forceps | 36 (16) | 4 (pneumonia, bronchitis) | Replacement of channels; use of disposable biopsy forceps |
| 11 | Bronchoscope | Pseudomonas aeruginosa | Loose biopsy-port cap | 414 | 32 (respiratory tract and bloodstream infections) | Bronchoscopes removed from service |
| 12 | Bronchoscope | Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Serratia marcescens | Loose biopsy-port cap | Not mentioned (20) | 1 (pneumonia) | Manufacturer initiated recall of defective bronchoscopes. |
| 14 | Bronchoscope | Mycobacterium tuberculosis | A hole in the external sheath of the manoeuvrable tip | 19 (10) | 4 (tuberculosis) | Strict adherence to the reprocessing protocol |
| 13 | Bronchoscope | Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Stenotrophomonas spp. | Loose biopsy port | 77 (25) | 0 | Recordkeeping for tightness of the biopsy port; standard operating procedure for cleaning and disinfection of bronchoscopes; competency training; tracking system for bronchoscopes enhanced |
| 15 | Bronchoscope | Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris, Morganella morganii, Proteus mirabilis | Loose biopsy port; Disinfectant did not reach all areas. | 418 (117) | 0 | Removal and replacement of plastic cap |
| 16 | Bronchoscope | Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRE) | Defects in internal channel surfaces | Not mentioned (6) | 5 (pneumonia, sepsis) | Repair of internal channel surfaces |
Abbreviation: CRE; Carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae