ASGE Reassures Patients of Endoscopy Safety

OAK BROOK, Ill. -- The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) wants to reassure patients that gastrointestinal endoscopy is a safe and effective procedure. The recent news that patients at an endoscopy center in Nevada may have been infected with hepatitis C that could have been spread when clinic staff used unsafe injection practices related to the administration of anesthesia medication shines the spotlight on the importance of infection control practices. This incident should not deter patients from undergoing any endoscopic procedure, as infections such as this occur rarely.

"It is important to realize that the exposures did not result from the procedure itself but from the use of unsafe injection practices related to the medication administration. Endoscopy, when practiced by expertly trained physicians who follow the practice guidelines set forth by the ASGE, is a safe, well-tolerated and potentially life-saving procedure," said Grace H. Elta, MD, FASGE, president of the ASGE.

The ASGE is committed to setting the highest-quality standards for gastrointestinal endoscopy through its safety guidelines and the training of its members so that patients receive the best and safest care possible. For more information on ASGE guidelines, log on to www.asge.org.

Source: American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

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