OBJECTIVE To observe the effects of silicone oil removal detergent and multi-enzyme detergent on removing the residual silicone oil from digestive endoscopes so as to provide bases for clinical cleaning of digestive endoscopes.

METHODS Totally 60 colonoscopes that were used in the endoscopy center of Shenzhen Hospital of Southern Medical University in Jul. 2024 were chosen as the research subjects and were randomly divided in to the experimental group with 30 colonoscopes (the silicone-removing multi-enzyme detergent group) and the control group with 30 colonoscopes(the multi-enzyme detergent group), the two groups were respectively treated with silicone-removing multi-enzyme detergent and multi-enzyme detergent during the cleaning process. The average bacterial colony counts of rinsed endoscopes, residual water droplet counts of the cleaned endoscopes and absorbance values of residual methyl silicone oil in the biopsy forceps channels of the endoscopes were observed and compared between the two groups so as to evaluate the effect on removing silicone oil.

RESULTS The median average bacterial colony counts were 3.05(1.62, 4.68)×10³ CFU/piece in the experimental group, 36.70(34.66, 38.10)×10³ CFU/piece in the control group(Z=-6.654, P < 0.001). The median counts of residual water droplets on the endoscopes were 7.00(5.00, 16.50) in the experimental group, 31.50(12.00, 43.00) in the control group(Z=-3.940, P < 0.001). The median absorbance value of residual methyl silicone oil in the biopsy forceps channels of the endoscopes was 6.85(5.58, 7.85)×10^-3 in the experimental group, 36.50(35.50, 43.65)×10^-3 in the control group (Z=-6.655, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION The silicone-removing multi-enzyme detergent shows more remarkable effect on removing the residual silicone oil on the endoscopes than the multi-enzyme detergent, it improves the cleaning effect of the endoscopes and is worthy to be verified and promoted in the hospital.