Effectiveness and safety of single-use protective sheaths for flexible nasopharyngolaryngoscopes

Flexible nasopharyngolaryngoscopes are instruments used to endoscopically examine the nasal and sinus passages and upper airways, and to diagnose diseases.
The procedures for disinfecting them are complex, but there is a simpler alternative : using single-use protective sheaths. These sheaths cover nasopharyngolaryngoscopes during endoscopic examinations. One of the major concerns regarding such use is the effectiveness and safety of single-use protective sheaths.

The Association d'otorhinolaryngologie et de chirurgie cervico-faciale du Québec asked the Institut national d'excellence en santé et en services sociaux to evaluate if the use of single-use protective sheaths for flexible nasopharyngolaryngoscopes is effective and safe for endoscopic examinations and if it is equivalent to a high-level disinfection.