An evaluation of varying protocols for high‐level disinfection of flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopes

The use of flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopes (FFLs) is ubiquitous in otolaryngology practices. As with any medical device, there exists a small risk for transmission of pathogenic microorganisms between patients, necessitating high‐level decontamination between uses. Most of the literature to date has studied channeled scopes such as those used in esophagogastroduodenoscopy and colonoscopy. A recent study of nonchanneled flexible laryngoscopes suggested that current high‐level decontamination practices in use at some institutions, including ours, may be overly aggressive. We sought to evaluate and compare the efficacy of varying techniques of high‐level disinfection of FFLs.