Table of Contents
What Is an Endoscope Washer Disinfector?
An endoscope washer disinfector is a machine that cleans and disinfects a flexible endoscope automatically. The full cycle runs through five fixed stages: leak testing, cleaning, disinfection, rinsing, and drying. This sequence removes the guesswork that hand scrubbing leaves behind.
This device matters because a flexible endoscope cannot survive a steam autoclave. The plastics and fibre optics inside it would break down at the 134 degrees Celsius used for standard sterilisation. So the scope gets chemical high-level disinfection at low temperature instead, and the machine controls every dose and every timer.
What Happens During a Full Wash Cycle?
A full wash cycle starts with a leak test that checks the scope for holes before any fluid touches it. A single pinhole in the outer sheath lets water reach the wiring inside, and that one fault can write off an expensive scope. The machine then drives detergent and disinfectant through every internal channel, not just across the outer surface.
This channel-by-channel flushing is the part hands cannot reach. A colonoscope hides several narrow lumens that run its whole length. The device flushes each one under pressure, then rinses and dries the scope so no moisture stays behind for bacteria to grow in.
Why Manual Cleaning Leaves Gaps
Manual cleaning leaves gaps because a person cannot see inside a sealed channel. Brushes wear out, contact times drift, and a tired technician at the end of a long shift skips a step. An automated endoscope washing machine repeats the exact timing and dosing on every single run.
This consistency is what infection control teams need on record. One missed channel can carry live bacteria into the next patient. The device logs each cycle, so the unit can prove the scope was cleaned and disinfected to the set standard.
Why Does Rinse Water Quality Matter?
Rinse water quality matters because contaminated final-rinse water recontaminates a scope that was just disinfected. Bronchoscopes and other invasive endoscopes need bacteria-free water, either sterile or filtered, for that last rinse. A built-in filter and a UV stage handle this job inside the device.
This is why Detrox builds advanced water filtration and a UV system into every Detro Wash model. The UV stage disinfects the incoming mains water before it ever reaches the scope. The whole process also runs without heating, which protects the heat-sensitive optics.
Inside the Detro Wash Series
The Detro Wash series is the Detroscopy product line built for washing flexible endoscopes after use. It pairs a short full cycle with high-level disinfection, so a busy unit keeps its turnaround fast.
- Continuous leak test control catches a damaged scope before the wash starts, not after.
- Double scope washing cleans two endoscopes in one cycle and lifts the throughput of a high-volume room.
- Specially designed air gun pushes water out of every channel so the scope dries fully.
- Advanced filtration with UV disinfects the mains water before it touches the endoscope.
Why Buy the Device and the Disinfectant Together
Buying the device and the disinfectant together closes a gap most suppliers leave open. Detrox manufactures the washer and the cleaners used inside it, so the chemistry is matched to the machine. Detro Enzyme breaks down the protein residue that plain water and detergent leave behind.
This single-source setup also makes service simpler. One manufacturer answers for the hardware, the chemistry, and the validation paperwork. That removes the finger-pointing that starts when three separate vendors share one cleaning process.
How Do You Choose an Endoscope Washing and Disinfection System?
Choosing an Endoscope Washing and Disinfection System comes down to matching throughput, scope types, and water handling to your unit. A high-volume endoscopy suite needs double-scope capacity and a short cycle. A unit that processes bronchoscopes needs the filtered, bacteria-free rinse that protects invasive scopes.
Detrox covers both ends of that decision, because it builds the device, the disinfectant, and the water system as one matched line.