A new drying method of thermolabile flexible endoscope channels by laminar and turbulent airflow - a prospective, randomized-controlled, single-center, proof-of-concept trial.

Drying with a special automatic drying device was superior compared with an EWD's drying program as evidenced by no measurable residual water, reduced microbiological contamination and a more than two-fold decrease in operational time. Thus, drying by laminar and turbulent airflow may represent an attractive alternative to the currently used standard approach in the reprocessing process of flexible endoscopes.