Ask Me Help Desk - Endoscopy & MRSA/Staph

Am scheduled for endoscopy (in 2 wks) rel. dysphagia. Am very much concerned about rising cases of MRSA. Am contemplating cancelling upcoming procedure. What information is available rel. subject procedure being involved with infection etc. Thank You!

While I understand your concerns, as MRSA is a very dangerous illness, this is very rare as all equipment used in an endoscopy is sterile. The endoscopy is necessary in dysphagia so that your physician can properly diagnose why you are having this problem. I suffer with it too, and have to have periodic dilation of my esophagus.

While your concerns about MRSA and the recent outbreaks are valid, there is very little to worry about with this particular procedure.

I have had exactly one client in three years who contacted SRMA during his hospital stay and being in the health care/caregiving business quite truthfully have not had any worries here (southeastern ontario) regardng SRMA. I believe your immune system has to be extremely compromised to be susceptible to this condition.

I had not heard that there has been a problem in the US with SRMA. As with many new conditions, I would think this one is being blown out of proportion by people who don't really understand it.

Your procedure will not leave you open to an infection of this sort.

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Originally Posted by tickle

SRMA

:confused:

MRSA = Methacillin Resistance Staphylococcus Aureus.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tickle

I believe your immune system has to be extremely compromised to be susceptible to this condition.

I had not heard that there has been a problem in the US with SRMA. As with many new conditions, I would think this one is being blown out of proportion by people who dont really understand it.

Tickle, I have to disagree with you. This is a very bad strain of Staph and, while it used to be a nosocomial (hospital acquired) infection, it has begun to run rampant in the general population. Your immune system has NOTHING to do with it.

Please read this article.

Staph infection worries close 21 Virginia schools | U.S. | Reuters

I had it two years ago, and my son had it this summer, all you have to do is be exposed to it (it is by contact exposure) with a break in the skin or poor tissue effusion.

This is NOT a new condition, and it is NOT being blown out of proportion, it is a very serious staph infection that is resistant to many antibiotics and can be deadly if not treated immediately and properly.

A C&S (Culture & Senstivity Test) of the drainage must be cultured to find out if it is MRSA and exactly what antibiotics it is resistant to it so that it may be treated properly.

Thanks for the information J-9. I have never been alarmed by MRSA, as I said, because I have had only one client in three years with MRSA coming out of hospital. We receive directives if it is an alert, and I have never had one for this. There are certain conditions whereby we must use full precautions when giving personal care, full as in double gloving, gown and apron especially for chemo patients in first two days after treatment. So my reaction to this post wasn't entirely out of ignorance.

Since you have alerted me I have been doing some reading, and I was correct regarding people with weak immune systems being more susceptible. Actually the worst outbreak we have had locally in the last two years is respiratory illnesses locking down a few nursning homes in the area.

You should be very alarmed about this illness Tickle. This is a serious illness that is growing quickly and spreading rapidly. People with weak immune systems may be more susceptible, just like they are to any other illness, but everyone is actually susceptible to this particular illness. It's not necessarily respiratory or gastrointestinal, etc... this can be a skin disorder as mine and my son's was and our immune system was certainly not compromised.

Yes, article in our Toronto Star this morning regarding deaths in US escalating from this terrible illness. I am alerted now and have a 'bee in my bonnet' about it. I am just so curious about our hospital in town which is world class and services many areas outside greater Toronto.

In fact, at our up coming mandatory in service training in November, I will suggest a talk on MRSA so I can just see what the feeling is around here so other PSWs will be alerted.

I just saw a case on television last night about a young teenage boy that contracted this and died. His sister was doing the interview. She said she did not want anyone else to die from it. He had started with the flu that turned into pneumomia and he contracted MRSA, which I have never heard of. Btw this happened in Ohio.